The Uchiha Sharingan Vision
by x-psychicfire-x
Summary: Akima Kimura, Sasuke's beloved cousin, is on a mission with Naruto and Sakura to find and 'escort' Sasuke back to Konoha by any means necessary. Akima has an ace up her sleeve that she plans to use to try and persuade Sasuke to return with them peacefully. But personal secrets and repressed memories reveal themselves and may cause more problems than solutions for the former team 7.
1. Prologue: The Betrayal of Team 7

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' and 'Naruto: Shippudden' series.

* * *

**PROLOGUE  
**

The appealing aroma of wood crackling on an orange-yellow fire, camped out in my nose as I lay on my back, staring up sullenly at the midnight blue sky glittering with thousands of stars.

Lying beside me on my left was Sakura who was sleeping fitfully. An obvious sign that she was feeling uneasy about something.  
My guess was that Sakura suspected that we may not actually find Sasuke where he was hiding with Orochimaru and his flunkeys. On my right was Naruto, who was snoring loudly with his back to me - but I saw this as a good sign, because it meant that he was recovering from the injuries he had sustained from his battle with Orochimaru's sidekick: the sneaky, manipulative Kabuto, on the bridge Sakura had said Sasori meant to meet Orochimaru, before Sasori was killed at Sakura's hands.

Kabuto and Orochimaru had gotten Naruto so enraged that they awoke the dangerous nine-tail fox demon living within him, much to Yamato's, Sakura's and my horror. Naruto's transformation caused not only damage to the battlefield we were fighting on, but caused damage to Sakura who tried desperately to stop him, and a lot of damage to himself as the firey chakra consumed him and burnt his body from head to toe.

It took the combined efforts of Yamato and myself to reverse the chakra, and Sakura had managed to heal him, but it came at a price. The nine-tail fox demon's chakra had weakened Naruto both physically and mentally.

Sighing, I sat up, trying not to disturb Sakura and smiled bittersweetly at the spikey, blonde haired ninja who had almost burnt himself into a crisp, and gingerly started stroking back his hair from his face. I instantly froze when Naruto stirred for a moment and instinctively clapped his hand on mine. But then he yawned and rolled over towards me and resumed snoring. The sound was similar to a chainsaw being ripped to life. I let out the breath I had unknowingly taken in, reliquished my hand from Naruto's and scooted closer to the fire. I picked up a stick and started prodding the fire, which sent up a wave of orange-yellow embers flying high into the air and popped and fizzed. Prodding the fire also sent a lovely wave of warmth over myself, Naruto and Sakura, who had stopped tensing up and was finally relaxing into a dreamless, unsuspecting sleep.

A twig snapped and I heard somebody land heavily on the ground behind me. Reacting automatically, I pulled a Kunai from my pack and had it at the ready to defend my weakened team mates from the unknown danger as I turned towards the newcomer. But I needn't have worried, it was only Yamato returning from his stakeout high in the canopies above us.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Yamato asked, striding forward to warm himself against the fire and observing my reaction with amused interest.

I stretched and replaced the kunai back into my pack as I eyed Yamato, with irritation.

"Who could sleep? I'm worried about Sasuke." I replied and moved back to settle myself between Naruto and Sakura. I hugged my knees and watched the flames in front of me dancing and twitching. Kinda like the tail of a lazy cat perched on a window ceil or mantlepiece.

"Uh? Who's turn is it to keep watch?" I asked, looking at Yamato who looked like he was preparing himself to go to sleep. Instead, he just shook his head at me and waved me away, thinking I was about to rise to my feet and volunteer.

"Don't worry, I'm not tired. I just came back to the camp site to warm myself. It's bloody freezing up there."

I looked up at the high branches above us. What he was saying was plausable. But I shrugged wishing that he would change his mind, but then yawned loudly.

"It seems the sandman has other plans for me. I'm going to sleep." I lay back down on the ground and angled myself in Naruto's direction.

Sakura moaned feebly in her sleep and I felt Naruto's fingers intertwine with mine. I opened my eyes to look at him, expecting that he would be staring at me sleepily with his typical warm but slightly cocky smile on his face that I had known all my life. But Naruto's expression was just as peaceful as it was when he went to sleep and conked out almost immediately.

_A reflex action..._ I realised much to my disappointment.

"Sweet dreams, Akima. We'll be rising soon to continue towards Orochimaru's lair." Yamato promised as he got to his feet again and prepared to jump back into the trees to keep a solitude watch for the enemy.

I rolled my eyes and looked over to where Sai was sleeping by himself like the loner I had always suspected him to be. But saw nobody.  
I sat up sharply, this time upsetting both Naruto and Sakura who both jolted awake.

"Wha-? What's going on?" mumbled Naruto, who cracked open an eye and saw that I was sitting up alertly. He immediately rose to attention as well.

"What's wrong?"

I turned to Yamato who was also looking at where Sai was supposed to be and instantly addressed the problem personally.

"Where did Sai go?" asked Sakura, who got to her feet and went over to inspect where Sai had settled in for the night. All she found was the little picture book that Sai treasured, lying discarded at the base of a nearby tree. She picked it up and frowned in confusion as she brought it over to Yamato who like Sakura was frowning, but with suspicion.

"Why would Sai leave behind his picture book?" Sakura pondered, flicking through the pages.  
"This is his whole life."

Sakura kept flicking through the pages until she reached the very end of the book, where it showed a sketch of Sai holding hands with nobody.  
Previously, the other pages showed pictures of a very happy Sai and an equally jovial blonde-haired boy holding Sai's hand, and both wearing different outfits on every page.

* * *

Sakura recalled that she had asked Sai about his picture book. Sai had briefly and sort of stand-offishly explained to Naruto, Sakura and I that the blonde boy in the pages was his 'brother', but he had been killed – taking with him the bond they had shared together. Sakura's trip down memory lane prompted Naruto's memory to drift to the time when he had discussed with Sai what they believed bonds were. He remembered that Sai held onto his every word with widened, fascinated eyes. When Naruto had finished his explanation, he had been told by Sai that Naruto reminded him of his dead 'brother' – through Naruto's kindness and strong dedication towards Sasuke.

I remembered that Sai used to stare at me with this really intense and fierce expression that freaked me out, and appeared to always be frowning slightly and dangling an object between his fingers; whether it be an ink brush or a kunai. This irritated me each time he did this.

"What!" I finally snapped at him one day when I caught Sai staring at me again without explanation. My outburst had startled both Naruto and Sakura.  
Sai smirked and lowered the chopsticks he was holding in his slender fingers before answering my question.

"You're very beautiful. You know that, right?" Sai observed, flashing me his fake smile. I frowned at his odd statement, lowering my chopsticks which were holding some 10 minute Ramen noodles back into my disposable Ramen cup.

"So I've been told..." I looked inquiringly at Sakura, who looked just as confused and flustered as I did.  
"Why are you staring at me? And telling me this?" I asked, getting highly suspicious about his observations.

Sai opened his eyes and stared seriously at not only me, but at a thoroughly confused Naruto (who had been shovelling noodles into his mouth at top speed, and had paused mid-shovel, so that he had noodles dangling from his mouth and dripping into his Ramen cup) and Sakura, who was looking unwell and irritable, and had been quietly blowing on her steaming hot noodles before taking small bites.

"Why are you being so creepy, Sai?" asked Sakura, who was sitting next to me. Sai set down his Ramen cup and stared at me seriously.

"I'm just wondering why someone of your obvious beauty and elegance, not to mention brains, is hanging around with a bunch of losers." he replied in his typical unthinking innocent way, obviously not noticing how his team mates had immediately tensed up and started staring daggers at him. And also obviously, not realising how deep the insult cut me. The insult understandably angered both Naruto and Sakura.

"What did you just call me, you little shit?" snarled Sakura, dropping her chopsticks into her Ramen cup and clenching her fists threateningly.

"You really are a total dick!" agreed Naruto, and he seized Sai by the lapels and turned bright red. My cheeks burned as I saw red, but this was because my sharingans had formed in my eyes the moment Sai openly insulted my friends. Sai saw the hateful look in my eyes and instantly looked afraid. My eyes narrowed, causing Sai to shake with fear, and it seemed that he had changed his mind about how 'beautiful' I was.

"Those 'losers' are my best friends, and my loyal team mates. But most importantly, they are my family – the only family that I will ever have, because mine had been stolen from me. Twice." Naruto and Sakura looked flattered and charmed by my words. But I hadn't finished yet.

"Even Sasuke is my family, for other reasons though. I love them all unconditionally. And I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world." I added, fiercely staring at Sai who shrank under my piercing glare.

Sakura smiled happily at me and gave me a hug. Naruto stared at me speechlessly, but then he too came over and wrapped himself up in my arms. We glared hatefully at Sai, who got up and moved away rather than risk being maimed by his angry team mates.

* * *

Coming back to reality, the three of us saw Yamato find and pick up an unfamiliar black notebook and started to flip through it. However, he instantly stiffened when he reached a certain page in the book. Yamato lowered the book, and the expression on Yamato's face made my stomach flip over. He looked frantic and annoyed.

"What's eating you?" asked Naruto, frowning at the rapid change in Yamato's expression.  
Yamato held up the black book and beckoned to the three of us to come closer.

"This book is a Black Ops Bingo book. Ninja Assassins use these to keep track of all their past and will be victims. Once that victim is eliminated, they are crossed off the list." he explained. Then he opened the book to the page that cause the rapid change in his expression, just as Sakura asked an obvious question.

"But why would Sai have one of those?"

Yamato turned the book around to show us the contents of the page he had stopped at and all three of us froze instantly. It was a picture of Sasuke back when he was 13 years old. Although, clearly he would most definitely appear different now. But that was not the reason why Naruto, Sakura and I froze. It was the fact that Sasuke was going to be Sai's next victim.

"Oh God! Sai's on his way now to kill Sasuke! I'm gonna kill him!" squealed Sakura in dismay. I scoffed, bitterly.

"Not until I'm through beating the living crap outta him first." I countered. Naruto immediately packed up his things at top speed in a furious rage.

"SAI! YOU'RE DEAD!" he declared. He, Sakura and I started to charge off after Sai, but Yamato stopped us in our tracks.

"I think it would be better if I led the way. My wood clone has followed Sai and has reported back to me his whereabouts. He'll make totally sure that Sai doesn't make a break for it, so we can find him and apprehend him." he promised. I really didn't care who led me towards Sai as long as he was severely dealt with for betraying our trust...


	2. Alerting Sasuke

**NOTE: **Some use of quotes that would've been heard on a 'Naruto: Shippuden' episode are in this chapter. I apologise for inconvience.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series.

* * *

**ALERTING SASUKE  
**

_Tap! Tap! Tap!_

_Wheeze... wheeze... wheeze_

_ Pant...pant...pant_

_ Sniff... Whimper... Cry_

_ Open. Curse. Slam!_

Those are the sounds of a small group of frustrated, panicked leaf shinobi and their leader searching the corridors of Orochimaru's underground lair – rumoured to be, where their estranged teammate, Sasuke Uchiha is currently residing in an unknown room.

Hence the opening of doors; Naruto, Sakura and my foul cursing when we didn't find the sleeping silhouette of our former team-mate; and the frustrated slamming of the door as we moved on without missing a beat. It wasn't until Naruto and I turned down yet another corridor that I knew without question in my heart and in my gut that Naruto and I were most definitely on the right track. I alerted Naruto to this. He huffed in relief and then paused to catch his breath, while I raised my chakra levels to alert and summon Yamato and Sakura.

"What is it, Akima?" was the first thing Yamato blurted out when he and Sakura reached us.

"Did you find Sasuke?" trilled Sakura, looking half-crazed from desperation and hopefulness.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Does it look like we've found him, Sakura?" I replied, snappishly. I was tired and irritable, but extremely hopeful that this time we would find Sasuke.  
Sakura naturally ignored my retort and looked around at where we were.

"Well then, why are we here?" she asked in a failed attempt at patience. I pointed down the corridor Naruto and I had been about to sprint down.

"Sasuke is down this way. I'm definitely sure." I announced. Yamato almost cracked a smile at my discovery. Sakura bounced happily on her toes, happy tears streaming down her face with relief. But then stopped and frowned at me.

"How the hell do you know?" she asked.

"I don't know. I just have a good feeling about this corridor." I was lying, but I wasn't ready to reveal the real reason why this corridor was the right one. The only person who knew the truth was Yamato, which was why he resisted smiling at me.

"Well what are we waiting for? LET'S GO!" bellowed Naruto and he charged off down the corridor with Sakura hot at his heels.

* * *

Here's the thing: I'm psychic, and I have the power to create fire using a simple ninjutsu.

So I bet you're probably saying: _'So? The only other shinobi I know who can produce fire from their fingers is Sasuke Uchiha.'_ To which I'd answer:

_'No shit. That's because I'm a member of his family, or at least I'm related to him via my mother who is Sasuke's Aunt.'_

That's right - Sasuke Uchiha is my 1st cousin! And I'm damn proud of it too! My family on my father's side is psychic, which means that I inherited the ability to sense the presence of shinobi who happen to be nearby, and get glimpses of the present and future. Both my parents were murdered in cold blood when I was 5 years old.

I don't remember much about the incident - except for a sharp, painful, penetrating feeling in my neck that caused me to violently convulse and sweat – but I do know that I want to find the bastard who killed my parents and ruined my childhood forever. But it's not all bad memories - things got 100% better when I went into the care of my Aunt and Uncle, who treated me like I was their own daughter. And Sasuke and Itachi treated me like I was pure gold.

That is, until Itachi went nuts and killed his parents - leaving Sasuke and I with cold, withdrawn personalities; trust issues and in Sasuke, a vendetta on his brother.

The only people who know of my own personal tragedy and my psychic abilities were my Aunt and Uncle, the 3rd Hokage, Lady Tsunade (who learnt of my history from the 3rd Hokage before he died), Master Jiraiya, Kakashi-sensai and only resently Yamato (who was informed of this for the mission.)

Just thought I'd fill all readers in on this so that one could understand that what happened next happened:

* * *

_**Sasuke! SASUKE! **_

I telepathically thought desperately, aware that Yamato could hear every word I was thinking to Sasuke, wherever he was down this corridor. There was no response from Sasuke.

_**God damn it, Sasuke! Stop ignoring me! You're in grave danger!**_

Still no response. I snarled in frustration, which caused Yamato to look over at me questioningly. I ignored him.

_**ARRGH! You are so fucking annoying, Sasuke! **_

"I can't believe Sai would do something like this! I'm gonna wring his bloody neck!" Sakura's outburst was not necessary which was why Yamato suddenly intervened, trying to calm Sakura down before she could do something unfortunate, like punch a huge hole in the wall and cave in the tunnel.

"Sakura, I know you're angry. But you really need to calm down. Stressing out like this is not going to help you save Sasuke." his calm voice seemed to make Sakura more stressed out than reassured.

"But Yamato! Sai is going to kill Sasuke!" she protested. Yamato sighed loudly but patiently continued his attempts to soothe the lovelorn young woman sprinting directly in front of me.

"I am very much aware of this, Sakura. And I am trying to locate exactly where he is so we can get there in time. Remember, I planted that tracer seed on Sai?" Sakura's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Gee, I had forgotten."

Naruto, in an attempt to both remove the tension now heavy in the corridor, and to distract his own anxious thoughts regarding Sasuke, ran in between Sakura and Yamato who were sternly staring at each other, obviously disagreeing on differing views.

"What I want to know is has Sai found Sasuke yet?" Yamato looked at me, but even I couldn't answer Naruto's question, much to my annoyance.

But his query did bring to mind questions about why Sai had gone to all this trouble to accompany us to retrieve Sasuke, only to betray us and join forces with Orochimaru. Although, my suspicions had been raised by the most resent flashback I had, that involved temporarily living within Sai's head and reliving his thoughts.

But when Sai had 'met' Sasuke, he was disturbed by what he saw and felt. But if I had felt what Sai felt, I would've used those feelings as a motivation to go ahead with my plans. But then again, I'm not an emotionless, creepy little bastard. But instead, to my surprise, Sai seemed to amend his plans. But then again, Sai had always been a curious person. Very foolish, but curious nevertheless.

Like the time he had asked Naruto, Sakura and I why we were bothering with this "seemingly pointless mission."

* * *

"Why are you risking your lives for someone who doesn't want to be saved?" Sai had asked. I looked at Sai incredulously, then risked a look at Sakura and Naruto who like me, couldn't believe what they just heard.

"Does it really matter?" I asked, staring down at Sai with dislike. Sai raised his sharp eyes to look at mine as he smirked at the exasperated expression on my face.

"Yes. I'm curious. Why so much trouble for one person? What makes him so special to you all?" I looked away and swallowed uncomfortably, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall down my cheeks.

_What makes Sasuke so special to me? You're kidding right? How much time do you have?_

Only I didn't say this. What I really said was, "My reasons for risking my life to bring back Sasuke are private. And I don't feel comfortable telling you why. I don't know you that well."

Naruto however, well, he took all of us back with his answer. But what he said stung.

"Because, in a way, Sasuke is my best friend..." Sai dropped the smirk and raised an eyebrow, while Sakura and I dropped our mouths open.

"It took awhile. But he eventually came around..."

"What?" I said, in a small voice that Naruto somehow managed to hear. He turned, saw my face and instantly became contrite. He leaned over to me and whispered reassuringly in my ear.

"I meant second best friend." I nodded and watched as Sai frowned at us, seeming to sense something between Naruto and I. Sakura and Yamato were confused about my reaction and the way Naruto handled the situation. Naruto smiled sentimentally as his mind travelled down memory lane.

"Way back, I used to hate Sasuke..."

This Sakura and I agreed with. She and I were constantly sandwiched in between Sasuke and Naruto when they were sniping at each other, insulting each other and bickering like they were actually siblings and not team mates.

"But once I got used to being with him I realised he's really a lot of fun... to be around." I smiled at this, because there were times when Sasuke and Naruto did get along together – an example of this was when the four of us went on a mini mission of our own to find out what was underneath Kakashi-sensai's mask.

"He's the person that, more than anyone else accepted me and my existance."

My smile dropped again and I looked at Naruto, but was pleasantly surprised when Naruto winked reassuringly at me. Sai looked impressed with Naruto's answer and smiled slightly. However, Naruto hadn't finished defending his reason for wanting to find and save Sasuke.

"Sasuke is my friend... and he represents bonds that I waited so long to receive, so that's why: If Orochimaru rips my arms off, I'll kick him to death! If he rips my legs off, I'll bite him to death! If he tears my head off, I'll stare him to death! If he gouges my eyes out, I'll curse him to death!" While there was some admiration in what Naruto was saying, just visualising the possiblities of what he said turned my stomach and I hoped that Naruto hadn't just jinxed himself.

"No matter what! I'm getting Sasuke back!" Naruto promised, grinning confidently at an awe-inspired Sai who seemed to have taken in everything that Naruto had said.

* * *

"Who's there?"

The voice that suddenly appeared in my head, was so vivid that I blinked and forgot to breathe for a split second.

"Huh?" I choked out, stopping in my tracks and automatically shutting my eyes.  
Instantly, I could see the inside of a dimly lit room and the floor I was kneeling on, which a large drawing scroll had been rolled out and large ink rats had been painted there. I was trapped temporarily in Sai's mind again!

"Answer me!" the voice demanded harshly.  
Through Sai's eyes I could clearly see a silhouette of a person lying on a bed with their back to the door. It was the red and white fan symbol on that person's back that made my heart leap into my throat and skip a beat.

_Sasuke-_

"I'm here... to take you back to the Leaf Village. Although my original intention was to find and eliminate you." Was the answer that came from Sai/my lips.  
There was silence for a few moments before Sasuke responded, with a voice that had apparently caused Sai to shudder from fear.

"Is that so? Is that your pathetic excuse for waking me up?" asked Sasuke. Sai, somehow summoning the courage to speak, tried to defend himself.

"No. I'm also here to restore the brotherly bond between you and Naruto."

Sasuke was neither touched nor grateful that Sai had decided to spare his life on a whim, or from remembering the words of a team mate that he neither liked nor disliked.

"As far as brothers go, I have only one... one I must destroy." replied Sasuke, irritably.  
He never did like mornings. But I knew that Sai had just made a bad move.

* * *

I opened my eyes and found myself staring face to face with Naruto and Sakura, who were watching me anxiously.

"What is it?" asked Naruto, putting a hand on my shoulder and looking at me with his worried blue eyes.  
I dreaded to think what expression I had on my face.

"What's wrong, Akima? We heard you stop and got worried." Sakura felt my clammy forehead and started to assess my health thinking I was coming down with an illness. I impatiently pushed Sakura's hand away and moved off.

"Nothing, just felt a little dizzy. I'm alright now." I set off at a steady sprint feeling Yamato's eyes on the back of my head. Obviously not believing me, Naruto and Sakura took point standing on my right and my left in case I somehow felt 'dizzy' again and keeled over.

_**Shit, Sai! You couldn't leave well enough alone could you? **_

I thought exaperatedly. Yamato, instantly hearing Sai's name in my head, suddenly spoke out.

_**Sai? What about him? Akima! **_

I feigned dizziness again just as we reached another fork in the road and paused for a breath that I didn't need to answer Yamato's question.

"The shit's about to hit the fan, big time." I replied to Yamato, who came over so I could whisper in his ear without Naruto and Sakura overhearing. The last thing I needed was for them to freak out and react impulsively to 'save' Sasuke. Yamato's face twisted in fear.


	3. Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series!

* * *

"**HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND"**

**BOOM!**

Four heads snapped towards the sound of an explosion rocking the corridor to their left. The explosion was so powerful the ceiling started crumbling and dropping down on us. I cringed, knowing that Sakura was going to freak out – fearing for Sasuke's life. While Naruto was going to anguish his friend's impending doom.

"NO!" cried Naruto.  
"SASUKE! SAI, YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!" Sakura vowed, snarling angrily.

My friends charged off but not before Yamato immediately stopped them by grabbing fistfuls of their shirts, halting them in their tracks. I quickly moved in front of my struggling team mates, who were trying to free themselves from Yamato's unyielding restraint, and pulled up both their chins so they looked me directly in the eye.

"That wasn't Sai's doing." I assured them, firmly. Naruto and Sakura stared at me dubiously.  
"How do you know?" Naruto asked. I folded my arms across my chest, wishing for once for Naruto to use his brains.

"Honey, you're cute. But sometimes you're really stupid." Naruto sulked, while Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Be realistic. Does Sai have explosives or a jutsu that causes explosive power?"

Both Naruto and Sakura shook their head and sighed in relief. Then Sakura perked up again with excitement which she realised what this meant.

"You mean? That was Sasuke?" she asked, hopefully.

"Yeah." I confirmed, reluctantly.

Her obvious admiration for Sasuke was endearing and I was pretty sure, but couldn't really confirm until I heard it from his own mouth, that underneath all of Sasuke's hostility that he felt mutually for her, despite all the times she frequently pissed him off. But now was not the time to lose the plot just because the object of her affections just happened to have set off a deadly attack on Sai. Naruto and Sakura cheered and high-fived each other and me. Although, I wasn't sure it was something to start celebrating about. That explosion meant that Sasuke was in a murderous mood and was not to be taken lightly, considering he could do that. Which only strengthened the annoyance and frustration I felt when I realised Sakura was not thinking clearly about the seriousness of our situation.

All she was focused on was the fact that my deeply troubled and extremely dangerous cousin (who was not to be fucked with. Not if you valued your life, your future and the lives of your friends and family) was still alive and kicking. It was clear that both Naruto and Sakura were itching to see Sasuke, now that they knew he was only miles away from where they were.

Yamato, like me was frustrated, but seeing no other option but to let them go, released their shirts and Naruto, Sakura and I raced off down the corridor towards Sasuke.

As I said before, Yamato knows about my psychic abilities. And because of this, it allows us to have a private telepathic conversation with each other without other people knowing what we are talking about. It's a fairly simple, but powerful ninjutsu. Before our mission started, I had gotten this idea that I discussed with her ladyship, Lady Tsunade, before meeting up with Naruto, Sakura and Sai. Her ladyship was initially sceptical of the idea and wasn't sure that it would work, but after explaining my reasons for undergoing this idea with Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke; she was convinced but still somewhat reluctant and begrudgingly gave her consent for me to perform my task.

Yamato and I kept up with Naruto and Sakura with a steady sprint. I was going over my idea in my head to make sure there were no foul ups when Yamato tried to communicate with me telepathically, scaring the shit out of me.

_**How much time do you need to charge your sharingan, Akima? **_

I stumbled on a bit of rubble that had fallen to the corridor floor when Sasuke's explosion first rocked the room. Flustered, I tried to mentally calculate exactly how faraway we were from Sasuke and Sai's stand off.

_**I don't know. It varies on how faraway we are from Sasuke... **_

That was when I suddenly felt something bad was about to happen. Something that was almost certainly gonna stress out Sakura and Naruto (not to mention, me) even further. I sidled up to Yamato, who turned his head to look at me.

"Guide me so I don't run into the wall. I need to check something out."

Yamato nodded and took a firm hold of my arm, as I closed my eyes and instantly saw Sai standing among rubble and smoke, which had been caused by the tunnel caving in and becoming what looked like a gapping crater like hole in Orochimaru's lair. Sai coughed and got to his feet, peering up at somebody who was standing on the lip of the crater, looking down at him. The expression on Sai's face was slightly amused.

"Uh huh. This explains a lot. There's a definite resemblance between the two of you." he complimented Sasuke who obviously was the person standing on the lip of the crater.

"What are you talking about?" asks Sasuke, coldly. Sai makes no reply. He just stands there, grinning triumphantly.

I opened my eyes and looked at Yamato, panicking slightly.

_**Is something the matter?**_ Yamato thought, looking concerned. I grimaced and Yamato raised an eyebrow.

_**I'll take that as a yes then? **_ he surmised. I nodded, disengaging my arm from Yamato's grip.

_**I'm gonna need twenty minutes, tops to prepare for this...**_ I confirmed. I needed to gather enough chakra for my plan to work and work well. Yamato nodded in reply.

_**Fair enough... **_

_** Also-**_

Yamato looked at me patiently. The news was not getting better and he knew it.

_**Sasuke's going to set off another explosion in a few seconds...**_

And sure enough, another explosion was heard. Sakura and Naruto both gasped in worry and anger as they dodged falling debris caused by Sasuke. I recognised the explosion – Sasuke was using his sharingan again – probably in an attempt to get a straight answer out of Sai.

_Yeah. Good luck with that Sasuke. Let me know what technique you used to achieve the impossible... _ I thought bitterly.

"No! I won't let you do this to Sasuke!" screamed Sakura, in anguish. Before anybody could stop her, Sakura went into turbo drive and nearly ran out of sight. Not before I easily caught up with my emotional friend and forced her to stop.

"What are you doing? Let me go! Sai could be attacking Sasuke at this moment."

I ignored her question, because I knew that no matter what answer I gave her, Sakura would try to find some loophole to pick fault with Sai. But from what I had seen, Sai wasn't attacking anybody. He was just staring at Sasuke with his fake smile. I looked over Sakura's shoulder and saw Naruto shaking with fury. I abandoned Sakura and instantly went over to him and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"SAI!" Naruto growled, his teeth gradually turning into fangs. Classic danger sign, apart from the pupils in Naruto's eyes turning into fiery red slits. Another minute and our 'good friend' Kurama will pay us a visit and Sakura would have to heal him again. I cupped his cheek and started stroking it gently, trying to soothe him.

"Naruto, please stop. Please calm down it's not worth it. You're still weak from the last time."

Naruto looked at me and stopped shaking. I smiled pleadingly at Naruto and slowly the anger faded away from his eyes which returned to their original blue, and his face relaxed. Naruto smiled back at me affectionately and gently took my hands away from his face, squeezing them. Yamato took charge of the situation by trying to calm Sakura down, since he saw Naruto's anxiety and fear disappear with the anger with my simple gesture.

"Sakura, you cannot possibly know where they are. It will be far easier if I lead the way, because of the tracer seed that I had planted on you three-"

"Fine, whatever! Let's just go!" interrupted Sakura, who gestured frantically with her hand. Yamato sighed and then sprinted off with Sakura running so close behind him, she could breathe down his neck. I looked over at Naruto who stared back at me sheepishly and followed them. I felt my jaw lock into place from annoyance and my eyes narrowed.

"Lovesick fool..." I muttered under my breath and followed Naruto, sprinting alongside him. I was close enough to Yamato to continue our telepathic conversation with him. It was time to reveal my plan to him. Lady Tsunade thought it was best not to tell Yamato of my plan until we were about to undergo it.

_**What exactly are you going to do, Akima? **_

Yamato sounded like he was completely bored and that he wished he hadn't signed onto this mission with a bunch of hormonal teenage ninjas.

_**I'm taking Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura back in time to relive our memories... **_

_**Uh huh... Continue, I'm listening...**_

Completely bored. And sounding just as sceptical as Lady Tsunade did. This was going to be a bundle of fun explaining it to him. Not!

_**What? You don't believe that I can do this? **_I asked, getting defensive and kicking up large dust clouds behind me.

_**It is a little hard to believe, Akima... **_He calmly admitted. I rolled my eyes and continued explaining my plan to a less than enthusiastic Yamato.

_**Yeah, well anyway...**_ I looked over at Naruto and instantly wished I could also tell both him and Sakura my plan. But it wasn't time to let them in on it yet. Naruto looked calmer than he did before but the anxious and harassed expression hadn't completely disappeared. From the way Sakura was running, she was nowhere near calm and was bordering on a complete breakdown. I sighed again and Naruto looked over and grinned at me. I winked back.

_** I'm counting on the knowledge that all the moments we had shared together will perhaps show Sasuke that revenge against Itachi is not the answer. **_

Yamato scoffed.

_**What are you anyway? A peace-loving hippie? **_

_And what are you? The world's most unfunny ninja? At least being peace-loving is better than being a homicidal lunatic! _I thought, offended. But chose to ignore his last thought.

-_**and that his friends; Naruto, Sakura and I, miss and generally want to help him through his grief and save him, not only from himself ... but from Orochimaru.**_

Yamato still sounded very sceptical when he replied to my plan so far.

_**I see...and do you except that this will work and will convince Sasuke to return with us back to Konoha?  
**_

I almost snorted with laughter.

_** No. It would be a bloody miracle if it did...**_

This was obviously something that Yamato had suspected that I would say because there was suddenly a pregnant pause. I could hear Naruto and Sakura's panting echoing in the corridor. Funny, it was also something that Lady Tsunade did as well. Although, she was a lot more kinder and more willing to actually understand the plan, rather than scoff and eventually dismiss the plan entirely. Plus, if she had denied me trying this plan – I wouldn't be discussing it with him.

_**Look, I'm not holding my breath that this plan will work, or that it will definitely change Sasuke's mind.**_

But I wasn't getting through to him. But then again, he wasn't actually going to be going into the plan with us anyway. So it didn't matter if he agreed with it or not. But it still hurt that Yamato wasn't impressed with what I was planning. I even knew why, it was because he thought I was bragging that I could literally take people back in time with a simple ninjutsu.

_**If it were that easy, I would've done it the day he left Konoha, beat the shit out of Naruto and made a break for it towards Orochimaru...**_

* * *

I could feel the tears brimming under my eyelids. I remembered the day Sasuke abandoned his home without explanation.

Sakura had shadowed him and found him sneaking out of the village, bagpack on his back and everything. Sakura confronted Sasuke with tears pouring down her cheeks, telling him that if he took one more step out of the village that she'll scream, thus alerting the village.

Sasuke vanished from in front of Sakura and materialised close behind her. Sakura froze as Sasuke leaned forward to whisper in Sakura's ear. I had shadowed Sakura, like she had shadowed Sasuke and eavesdropped on what he whispered to her as I hid behind a nearby tree.

_"Thank You, Sakura. For everything." _ he had said, then he simply turned and I watched him sprint away, while Sakura bawled like a baby.

I followed Sasuke to the falls and watched as he brutally beat up Naruto and vise versa. When the battle was over and Naruto was lying unconscious on the ground and Sasuke had fallen to his knees hovering over Naruto's head, shielding him from the rain. I watched as his metal forehead protector loosened and fell with a clatter to the hard ground that hadn't had a chance to become saturated. At that moment, I approached Sasuke who looked up sharply and stared at me. Tears were falling from my eyes as I approached my weary and injured cousin.

_"Why Sasuke? Why are you leaving us? Leaving me?" _Sasuke made no reply. He stood up and limped over to me, holding his injured arm.

_"You're my best friend. The only family I have left. Or have you forgotten this?" _ Sasuke stared at me coldly. But instead of chewing me out, he enveloped me in a very long, very tight hug.

_"I haven't forgotten. But I need to leave, Akima. There's nothing for me in Konoha anymore, none of those so called 'sensais' are capable of giving me the training I require for my mission. And Itachi is going to pay for his dishonour with his death." _ I dropped my head and let the tears fall to the ground. I was afraid that this was going to happen.

_"You can still talk telepathically right?" _Sasuke had asked me. I looked up and nodded, not knowing where he was going with this.

_"No matter where I go. We will always be able to keep in contact with each other." _

I blinked at him, finally understanding but still not liking his decision.

_"I promise." _Then he kissed my forehead and knocked me out. I remember stirring next to Naruto's unconscious body (Sasuke must have somehow carried me over to where Naruto lay and placed his metal forehead protector in Naruto's hand) and saw Kakashi assessing the situation with a ninja dog.

The rain was still falling and Sasuke had disappeared. Up until now at least - two years later: both of us stronger, faster and wiser. And almost certainly, both extremely dangerous.

* * *

When I returned to reality, the situation had not improved at all. Yamato had remained as stubborn than ever.

_**Look Yamato, Sasuke made it clear to Sakura, Naruto and I the last time that he had no desire to be saved, or to return to Konoha... **_

I knew that we weren't faraway from where Sasuke and Sai were. But tell that to my friends. Both of them were now despairing and getting increasingly frustrated that we hadn't reached our goal yet.

"Where are you? Where are you! SASUKE!" cried Naruto, tears leaking out his eyes.

"We've come so far. Sasuke-" whimpered Sakura, wiping away the tears with her glove. I had no more tears to shed. I dragged my arm across my wet eyes.

_**No. I'm hoping that we will get across what we have to say to Sasuke and to show him, and hope that the memories will make him think long and hard about all this for the next time we meet...**_

We turned a corner and we literally saw light at the end of the tunnel. Sakura yelled in triumph and out sprinted Yamato towards the 'finish line' where we would FINALLY see Sasuke again. Yamato paid no attention when Sakura did this. He instead focused on what I had just said.

_**You don't believe that we will finally be able to 'escort' Sasuke back to the Leaf Village? **_

He sounded incredulous. What else was new?  
I almost laughed again, but decided that the truth was best.

_**I doubt it.**_

Yamato slowed down until he was striding alongside Naruto and I and stares at me disapprovingly.

_ What else is new? You were disapproving of my entire plan. _

All three of us slowed down as Sakura carelessly ran out into the open and furiously seized Sai by the shirt.  
Sai didn't flinch.

"Well see about that." Yamato muttered into my ear, causing me to jump about ten feet into the air. I hate it when people did that.

"What the hell do you think-?" Sakura's voice echoed around in my head.

"Sakura?" the girl in question instantly froze and turned, letting her hand slacken and fall limply to her side as her face jerked in a mingled mixture of shock and jubilation.

_Sasuke..._


	4. Let's Do The Time Warp Again!

"**LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!"**

"So this grinning idiot over here wasn't lying. There are other people here. How annoying." Hearing Sasuke's voice was like a icy glass of water I had just gulped down. I looked at the expression on poor Sakura's face, she was utterly speechless but I could see the pain of dismay on her face when she realised how much Sasuke had truly changed.

"Sasuke-" Sakura finally whispered. Naruto charged forward to see Sasuke for himself, but instead slammed right into my back and crumpled to the ground.

"Motherf-" he cursed loudly. I turned at looked at Naruto, and offered my hand to help him to his feet.

"Woops! Sorry, Naruto. You alright?" I asked. Naruto grinned, embarrassed and accepted my hand as I heaved him to his feet. He rubbed his backside where he had landed heavily.

"Yeah. No harm done. Thanks." I squeezed his hand before letting go and stepping aside so that he could actually get out there and see Sasuke.

For this plan to work, I need to collect the chakra from Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke. When Naruto had slammed into me and fell to the floor, I collected his chakra from a simple touch of his hand as I helped him to his feet. All that was left was to talk to Sakura about my plan and collect her chakra and collect Sasuke's chakra by force. Naruto jogged out of the tunnel and came to Sakura's side staring up at Sasuke, who was standing in the most unfortunate spot – the sun was blaring down on the crater making it hard to look up at him.

"Sasuke. It is you!" breathed Naruto, but like Sakura was shocked at how much Sasuke had changed in both appearance and attitude. Sasuke's voice sneered when he greeted Naruto.

"So you're here too? This day just gets better and better." Naruto snarled at the insult.

"So I guess that bore Kakashi is here too?" inquired Sasuke, like he could care less. Yamato looked over at me and nodded, sealing the approval of my plan now that he actually heard Sasuke's voice and probably summed him up as insolent and heartless. Yamato stepped out into the open, his posture all business.

"No. I'm sorry to say that Kakashi is still currently hospitalised from the last mission he underwent with your friends here. With the exception of course of Sai here." I could just picture Sasuke raising an eyebrow at Yamato. Well, if he wasn't I'd certainly would have. Yamato was being way too formal.

"I've been assigned as his temporary replacement."

Sasuke didn't miss a heartbeat before he plowed on with his inquiries. He wasn't a fool, he knew I would be here too to bring him back kicking and screaming to Konoha.

"Really? I'm surprised Akima isn't here with you. Perhaps, an honourable and wise move?" he decided, below the belt. I reacted to that. "OI! There's a time and a place for sarcasm, Sasuke." I whispered to myself. I took a deep breath in to psych myself up and stepped out into the sunlight, turning to address my cousin who turned his cold gaze down at me. I shivered from looking at the black pools of nothingness that were his eyes.

"Oh? But you know that I wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world, Sasuke." I replied, in honeyed tones. Laying on the sugar thickly. Sasuke frowned deeper at my tone, I ignored that and strode casually over to where Sakura and Naruto was standing and draped my arm casually on Sakura's shoulder. I smiled sweetly and sincerely at Sasuke who was taken aback by how instantaneous it was. Considering how fast the expressions on Naruto and Sakura's faces had dropped.

_**God, I've missed you! **_ I thought. The corners of Sasuke's mouth twitched slightly as he tried hard not to smile at my other greeting. But his black eyes had brightened and were alive and burning with the warmth and love for me that I thought had died the day he kissed my forehead and knocked me out on his way from fleeing the fight he had just been made victor over against Naruto. Movement next to me told me that Sakura had not gotten over the resentment she felt for me concerning Sasuke. I turned my head to look at Sakura who refused to look in my direction. I snarled angrily under my breath.

_Shit! Let it die, Sakura! I wish I could tell you the truth and tell you how childish you're acting! _I thought and turned my attention back towards an amused Sasuke. But then jolted with shock when Sakura started thinking telepathically. I could instantly hear every scorned thought Sakura felt and I wanted to both laugh and throw up at the same time.

_**Does she like Sasuke too? She obviously doesn't know that Sasuke is my boyfriend...**_

And that was the end of that. I couldn't hold it in any more and just started uncontrollably laughing to the point where I had to turn away to maintain what dignity I had as I flushed beetroot red.

"Akima? Are you alright?" asked Naruto, putting a supportive hand on my shoulder. Sakura stopped frowning and she too looked over at me concerned. I nodded, fending off Naruto's helping hands and taking in large lungfuls of breath and wincing because my stomach hurt from laughing too hard. I turned back around with tears falling down my cheeks and I wiped them away with the back of my hand, grinning like a Cheshire cat. The following telepathic conversation between Sasuke and I is being juggled between Sasuke taunting and coldly rejecting a hurt and resentful Naruto and Sakura:

_**I've missed you too, Akima. But why the hell are you laughing? **_ I subtly inclined my head towards Sakura's direction.

_**Sakura thinks I've got a crush on you as well. **_Sasuke groaned and would've face-palmed himself exasperatedly, if it wasn't for the fact that he wanted to maintain a fearsome persona in front of Naruto, Sakura, Yamato and Sai.

_**I would've thought that within two years she would've gotten over this pointless crush...**_

I rolled my eyes at Sasuke, giggling at his naivety when it came to the way women thought and felt about love and a desire for a relationship with somebody they care deeply about. I sighed when I thought this and looked over at Naruto, understanding where Sakura was coming from in terms of love. And my face fell a little.

_** You obviously don't know women very well, Sasuke. But just be thankful that's the only problem you have to contend with regarding her. I know why she believes that I fancy you. She doesn't know that we're cousins. And I'd much prefer to tell her soon. **_

Sasuke smirked at this but also looked as revolted about the idea as I did. We loved each other, that much was true, but it was the equivalent of the love shared between a brother and sister.

_**Well, now's a good a time as any. How about I do the honours? **_

I felt my eyes widen in horror.

_**I'm good with that, thanks! **_

Sasuke rolled his eyes and shook his head frustratedly.

_**Your loss. Now to business. **_

Sasuke turned his full attention over to Naruto who was shaking with hurt and fury, thankfully not the fury that Sakura and I dreaded. I turned to Sakura, who like Naruto was shaking from hurt and fury but thank god, was not for once crying over Sasuke. While the comments Sasuke made about Sakura's devotion to him were negative, they weren't as harsh as I had expected them to be.

_Hmmm..._

As Sasuke went into Naruto with full intent to sting, despite Naruto's attempts to get Sasuke to see reason. I focused on Sakura and proceeded to tell Sakura the details of my plan.

_**Sakura?**_

Sakura jumped like she had been shot when she heard my voice in her head, she turned to look at me incredulously.

_**Relax. It's just me. **_

Sakura went to speak, but I hastily placed a finger on her lips before she could speak and ruin all my plans, as any outburst coming from Sakura would get Sasuke highly suspicious.

_**Don't talk out loud! Just think what you want say to me and I'll be able to hear it...**_

Sakura frowned in confusion, but then closed her eyes and seemed to focus on something.

_**Uh? Like this?**_

_**Yeah. That's right.**_

_**What's going on, Akima? How can you do this? **_Sakura's voice bounced around in my head like a rubber bouncy ball. I placed a small calming jutsu on Sakura without her knowing.

_**First, you need to calm down. You're wound up tighter than a clock. Please, take a couple of deep breaths.**_

Sakura frowns at me but takes the two deep breaths and instantly looks calmer, due to the calming jutsu taking affect. I sighed in relief myself and snuck a look at Sasuke who was smirking at the expression on Naruto's face. Naruto was getting angrier and angrier.

_Your funeral, Sasuke! _I thought, bitterly. Resenting how badly Sasuke was treating Naruto.

_**Besides, Naruto and Sasuke aren't going to start fighting just yet... **_

Sakura frowned at me again.

_**See you said that before when the first explosion happened back in the tunnel. How on earth would you possibly know what was going to happen before it happens. It's like you're psychic.**_

I smiled triumphantly at her and Sakura's eyes widened in shock. Obviously, she hadn't expected to get that fact right. She instantly grabbed my hand and started shaking it in excitement.

_**No way! You're psychic?**_

_**Yeah. I grew up in a family full of psychics. They had different special chakras that I also inherited. **_

Sakura had latched onto a special word in my explanation. I was hoping I wouldn't have to further explain this to her.

_**What do you mean 'had'?**_

I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry and looked up at Sasuke, who occasionally looked at me and subtly smiled before returning to his 'conversation' with Naruto. Sasuke was apart of a family that was half of me and even that half had died, leaving behind him and Itachi. Luckily, I was closer to Sasuke than him. But I didn't reveal this part to Sakura yet.

_**I'm an orphan. My parents were murdered when I was a little kid.**_

Sakura's face twisted in shock. Sasuke gave me a look as if to say 'what are you doing?' I ignored him.

_**Oh shit! And you've lived by yourself ever since?**_

_**Uh...no. I was taken in by another family.**_

I sneaked a look at Sasuke, who was shaking his head disapprovingly at me. But then both of us recalled the day with I came to live with him, Itachi and the Elder Uchihas. I was a scared, injured little girl (I had blood down my neck) who had no memory of what had just happened to her. Possibly because she was traumatised.

_**Sakura, I have a plan that may help us convince Sasuke to come back with us by his own choice...**_

Sakura's eyes widened with excitement.

_**Really!**_

Again, Sakura's voice echoed painfully in my head and I cringed from the pain. The sound sort of reminded me of what a microphone would sound like if it got too close to another microphone and it started that ear piercing whining noise.

_**Sakura! Calm down, you're busting my eardrums!**_

Sakura immediately calms down and clutches my hand in an iron grip.

_**Oh! I'm sorry, Akima!**_

That was one of the few things that annoyed me about Sakura. When she's remorseful for doing something bad to you, it really hurts. I carefully removed my hand from Sakura's. And glared sternly at her, flexing my fingers to get the feeling back in them. I started to explain the plan to Sakura, rather exasperatedly.

_**I'm planning on taking Sasuke, Naruto and you back in time to relieve our memories in person...**_

_** You can do that? But isn't that impossible?**_

I resisted the overwhelming urge to strangle Sakura. Sasuke started laughing in my head. I turned my head and glared at Sasuke, who smirked back at me.

_**Obviously it's possible or I wouldn't be suggesting it.**_

It appeared Sakura didn't like the tone of my voice. Well, tough. You piss me off, you get a smart aleck answer back. And believe me, Sasuke can vouch for this. He'd experienced me in one of my moods before.

_**Okay, okay. Geez, sometimes you sound rediculously like Sasuke!**_

Uh oh. Time to change the subject. Uncomfortably, I look heavenward and looked at Sasuke who in turn was looking at me concernedly. I Iooked away and tried to stop my cheeks from flaming up.

_**For my plan to work, I need you to transfer some of your chakra to me, so I can visit your memories.**_

_** Okay...**_

_** I'll be getting some from Sasuke as well.**_

_** How do I give you my chakra?**_

_** Touch my hand with your ungloved hand. It's as simple as that.**_

_** Alright.**_

Sakura takes off her glove and reaches out to squeeze my hand. I instantaneously felt a serge of power as Sakura adds her chakra to mine. But then Sakura frowns at me.

_**What is it now?**_

_** How are you getting Naruto's chakra?**_

_** Already done. He slammed into me back in the tunnel and I helped him to his feet. **_

Sakura shook her head and looked amusedly and fondly at Naruto who was still arguing with Sasuke. Suddenly, Yamato interrupted our conversation – causing Sakura and I to jump 50 feet into the air.

_**Akima. Sasuke and Naruto are about to start fighting.**_

_** Way ahead of you, Yamato!**_

Sakura, Yamato and Sai watched in horror as Sasuke, with amazing speed and agility leaps off the lip of the crater and appeared in front of Naruto, who froze in shock. Sasuke placed his arm in a 'comarade style' fashion on Naruto's shoulder and had his other hand on the hilt of his Kusanagi No Tsurugi (Kusangai Grass Cutter) Katana sword. I felt my mouth drop open, feeling stunned.

"Woah! Turbo drive." I couldn't help but feel immensely impressed. Sakura immediately went on red alert.

"Oh no! Naruto!"

But Naruto was too busy to reply. It appeared that Sasuke was whispering to him, but there was no warmth in Sasuke's eyes as he spoke to Naruto.

"Come to think of it, wasn't it always your dream to become the Hokage someday? All of the time you spent chasing after me, would have been better off spent in training...wouldn't you agree, Naruto?" Sasuke sneered, I had to practically nail my feet the ground to prevent myself from going to Naruto's aid. I knew that Sasuke was supposed to say these things to Naruto, because someday it would be a inspiration for Naruto to get Sasuke back and keep his promise to Sakura.

"How can I become Hokage if I can't even save my friends? What do you think, Sasuke?" retorted Naruto, coolly. It was clear he wasn't in the mood to deal with Sasuke's bullshit.

"How witty, Naruto. And deeply touching. But that won't save you, unlike that whim I had the last time we fought and had spared you..." Sasuke slowly slid the katana out of its holster and I heard Naruto gulp from where I was standing. So I could hear it, then Sasuke certainly could hear it.

"But this time...my whim is telling me, to finish what I started." Sasuke prepared himself to impale Naruto on the end of his sword like a shish kabob.

It was time to act on the plan. Quickly, I turned to Sakura and took her by shoulders trying to get her to focus.

"Okay, Sakura. Listen to me."

"But Sasuke's gonna-"

"I know Sakura, I have a plan remember?"

Sakura nodded, understanding. Her anxious eyes focused on the terror and helplessness in Naruto's.

"Sai is going to intervene in a moment and this will cause a fight to start between Naruto, Sasuke, Sai and Yamato. Sasuke is then going to attack Yamato to kill and when Naruto goes to rescue Yamato that's when I'm going to get you to go to Naruto's side and explain my plan to him. I'm going to restrain Sasuke and that will give me his chakra."

"Then what are we gonna do?" asked Sakura. Still focusing on Naruto and Sasuke in their defensive stances.

"That's for me to know and you to find out, Sakura." She nodded.

"You ready?" I asked. And just as I accurately predicted; Sasuke in swift movements swung to kill and to everyone's astonishment, Sai blocked the movement by grabbing Sasuke's wrist. Sasuke turns and looks at Sai with a slightly impressed glare.

"That was the correct move." he complimented Sai. But then Sai tried to remove the sword from Sasuke's hands and is immediately shaken off by him. Sasuke focuses all his attention on Sai whom he dumped on the ground and was now moving in for the kill. He raises the sword in a defensive move.

"That was the wrong move" and stabs down. Yet again, Sasuke is blocked, but this time by a kunai blade held by Yamato.

"That is enough!" Yamato ordered, his eyes hard as steel. Sasuke laughed in Yamato's face and belts him across the jaw with his fist. Yamato crumples to the ground and roars in agony as Sasuke stabs Yamato in the shoulder with his sword which was now crackling with an electric blue aura.

"Sasuke! Stop it!" yells Naruto and goes to Yamato's aid. I saw my chance.

"Now, Sakura!" and the pink haired konoichi flew to a thoroughly confused Naruto's side and hastily whispered my plan in his ear. I landed behind Sasuke and brandished a very sharp kunai blade at his throat as I pressed my cousin's slender body to mine. Sasuke went to slice me in half but I pressed the point of the blade in the little nook of his throat and Sasuke, not being an idiot, froze.

"Don't fuck with me, Sasuke! Put your sword back in its scabbard now!" Sasuke started chuckling deep in his throat as he complied with my request. My cousin then did something that he knew I couldn't resist – taking my hand and tenderly holding it in his.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Akima. It's taken you all this time to become bloodthirsty and ruthless." I whispered in Sasuke's ear.

"That was just a ruse, sweetie." I looked at Sakura and shouted:

"Take my hand and Naruto's!"

Sakura immediately grabbed Naruto's hand and mine in an iron grip. Sasuke didn't have time to react except to snarl at me.

"DON'T YOU DARE, AKIMA!" I ignored Sasuke and formed my sharingans. The space around the four of us flashed and suddenly we felt as though somebody had fastened a hook around our waists and yanked us off our feet and propelled us screaming into darkness.


	5. Trip Down Memory Lane

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' and 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.**  
**

**NOTES: **Scenes from 'Naruto' have been used. **  
**

* * *

**TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE**

The sunshine blared down on my face as the sounds of birds tweeting and swooping from tree to tree woke me up. I groaned and sat up, rubbing my eyes and yawning. Immediately, I thought back to what Sasuke had just done to my teammates and shook my head sadly.

"I can't believe you were about to impale Naruto on your sword, Sasuke." I muttered and I got to my feet and stretched out my sore limbs as I walked forward to see where we had just arrived at. I realised that I was standing in the middle of a ninja training ground, right next to four protruding wooden stumps.

_Wow. Now that brings back memories. _I thought as I stared at the four stumps and perched casually on one of them, waiting for Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto to wake up. I didn't have to wait very long as I heard Sasuke groan.

I turned and saw Sasuke struggling to his knees and looking around at his surroundings.

"I've never liked this part of the vision." he mumbled and I watched him get to his feet and dust himself off and then tensed up when Sasuke saw me.

"You're not so special, Sasuke. Everyone hates this part."

I saw the furious expression on my cousin's face as he removed his sword from the scabbard and advanced towards me, ready to strike me down. I pulled a face at him and didn't bother drawing a kunai from my pack. It was clear that Sasuke hadn't done one of these for awhile – he had obviously forgotten the rules his father had told us when we first learnt how to do this technique.

"Put away your sword, Sasuke. You should know the rules by now." I snapped and looked away from him disgustedly. Sasuke paused and resentfully holstered the katana and instead chose to grab me by the lapels and yell at me that way.

"What kind of fucked up thing have you done now, Akima?" he demanded. I broke the hold Sasuke had on my shirt and roughly pushed him away.

"A simple trip back in time to relive our memories." I got straight to the point. Sasuke pulled a face at my explanation.

"What the hell for?" he yelled.

"For your own good, Sasuke." He snarled angrily and perched frustratedly beside me on the stump, letting his head fall into his hands like he used to do when he still lived in Konoha and was trying to have time to himself without Sakura or Ino fawning around him, which was an incredibly rare occurrence. I slouched back, enjoying the warmth from the sun and balanced my weight on my hands.

"You tricked me, Akima. Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to be saved? That there was nothing for me at Konoha?" asked Sasuke, incredulously.  
"Yeah, you told me. Not Naruto or Sakura." I replied, dismissively.

Suddenly, I heard Sakura and Naruto stirring and I immediately jumped down from the stump leaving Sasuke staring at me angrily and headed over to Sakura, who was struggling the most to get to her feet.

"Oh! What happened?" gasped Sakura, shaking the grogginess from her head.

"Yeah. Where are we?" added Naruto. I smiled and gestured to the memory before us.

"We're in the past." I explained. "Or at least our essences are."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Naruto looked at me like I was crazy.

"The past?" Then he noticed the stumps that Sasuke was sitting on and brightened.

"Hey! I remember those!" He cried and got to his feet, rushing over to them. Sakura and I followed him. Sakura placed her hand on the stump and rapped on the wood with her knuckles to see if it was real and not apart of her 'imagination'.

"This is so weird! It's like we were here only just yesterday." She said. Sensing somebody's stare burning into her she looked up and saw Sasuke staring at her. Sakura smiled shyly at Sasuke who glared acidly back at her and looked away again.

Voices suddenly capture our attention and all four of us look over to see a small group of ninja nearby.

* * *

The group consisted of: a young man with spikey silver hair, dressed in a black pants and a black long-sleeved top. Over the top of that was an army green jacket with the Hidden Leaf Village insignia on it, some black hobo gloves and ankle-length ninja boots. The young man was also wearing a mask over his mouth and his metal forehead protector over one of his eyes.

"Kakashi-sensai!" exclaimed Sakura, in surprise.

Accompanying him were two small boys of about 13 years old: one of the boys had messy black hair and black eyes. He wearing a dark blue tunic with a wide collar that had a small red and white fan symbol embroidered on his back, some white shorts, white and blue wrist protectors, white and blue shin guards and a pair of ankle-length black ninja boots.

It was the ugly scowl on his face that truly gave away who he was: a young Sasuke Uchiha from 2 years ago. The other boy had spikey blonde hair and blue eyes and was wearing an orange, blue and white jumpsuit with navy-blue ankle-length ninja boots.

"Hey! That's me!" yelled Naruto, practically bursting with glee.

"Congratulations! You've shown that you can identify yourself." sneered Sasuke, sarcastically. Naruto rounded on Sasuke.  
"You can shut up, asshole!"

Both boys had kunai packs strapped to their thighs and were having an argument with each other. Much like the argument that had just occurred before.

There were also two girls, both about 13 years old as well who were watching them fight: one girl had shoulder blade length black hair swept back into two pigtails. She also had black eyes, and was wearing a purple long-sleeved top also embroidered with a small red and white fan symbol on her back, some black bike shorts, black fishnet hobo gloves, black and white shin guards and a pair of ankle-length black ninja boots. The girl's fingernails were also painted black.

"Akima? Wow, you've really changed." Sakura observed interestedly the difference between what my 13 year old self was wearing and what I was wearing now.

I looked down at what I was wearing. The only things that had really changed about my appearance was the fact that I was now wearing a loose short-sleeved purple t-shirt with a small button-up pocket on the left breast. I now wore knee high black ninja boots and instead of black fishnet hobo gloves, I was now wearing black lace hobo gloves. My fingernails were still painted a glistening black colour. Around my wrist was a simple, but beautiful silver bracelet that had been given to me by my last boyfriend, Gaara, who was now the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand Village. He and I are just friends now, but he is still fiercely protective of me. Almost as much as he is towards his older sister, Temari.

The other girl was slightly younger than the first girl but she had bubblegum pink hair also shoulder blade length and sharp, celery green eyes. She wore a white and burgundy female fighting dress, black bike shorts and navy-blue ankle-length ninja boots. The girl also had an abnormally large forehead.

"Likewise with you, Sakura." I returned to her friend. The girls also had their kunai packs strapped to their thighs as well and all four ninja children had metal forehead protectors like their sensai.

"Hey, that's so cool!" exclaimed Naruto, who was thoroughly enjoying this memory despite the fact that he and Sasuke at the time did nothing but bicker. Kakashi was apparently having a hard time shepherding his students together in a group so that the picture could be taken and they could get started on their first training session. But Young Naruto and Young Sasuke were not cooperating.

* * *

"Aww! Why do I have to be in a photo with him, Kakashi-sensai?" Young Naruto whined.

"That's my line, pinhead!" snipes Young Sasuke who was shaking his head at Young Naruto's immaturity, while Young Naruto snarled like a lion and shook with anger.

I watched as my younger self came forward and pushed the two boys apart and sandwiched myself between them to break up the fight.

"Listen, morons. It's time to take the photo now. So stop fighting!" Young Sasuke grinned at me and moved to co-operate but Young Naruto looked at me incredulously.

"You're taking his side? Why?" I rolled my eyes and took his hand which already felt clammy and we hadn't even started training yet, and lead him over to where Young Sasuke, Young Sakura and Kakashi were waiting patiently.

"I'm not taking anybody's side, Naruto. I'm just eager to get started on our first training session!" I explained grinning from ear to ear and let go of Young Naruto's hand so I could stand in my place in between Young Sasuke and Young Sakura who was scowling at where I was standing.

_Ah, the good old days... _ I thought, bitterly and stared at the older version of Sakura who was smiling happily at the memory and apparently hadn't noticed the expression on her counterpart's face. Sasuke casually came over to me and draped his arm around my shoulders as he too observed the memory himself with an amused smirk on his face as he remembered giving Naruto hell.

Young Akima flung an arm around her cousin's shoulder and grinned broadly at the camera, as Young Sasuke wrapped his arm around her waist, while hooking his other hand in his pocket. He was still glaring insolently at Young Naruto who was just as equally pissed and mirroring the expression on Young Sasuke's face. Little, naïve Young Sakura chose to ignore the hostility and instead grinned angelically into the camera just as Kakashi ended the fight between his male pupils by restraining them by a simple touch of his hands on top of their heads. The camera flashed and a fond memory was born.

Naruto, while his teammates were observing the memory for the second time had gotten up from his perch on the stump after taking a very good look at Young Akima and Young Sasuke and how similar they looked and started to inspect us by walking around with slow, measured steps.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" asked Sakura, who also got up from her perch and came over to Naruto who was staring wide-eyed at Sasuke and my backs. Sakura looked at where Naruto was looking and she too gasped.

"What are you freaks doing?" demanded Sasuke who removed his arm from my shoulders and turned to face Naruto and Sakura and raised an eyebrow at their shocked expressions. Naruto looked at us accusingly.

"Akima, why have you got the Uchiha fan symbol on your back?" I looked at Sasuke who gave me a 'thought-you-were-going-to-tell-them' look and went back over to the stump and sat down.

"I thought it would be obvious by now." I answered. Sakura put her hands on her hips.

"What is obvious? Only members of the Uchiha family wear that symbol. The only reason why you would be wearing it would be that you're..." She stopped and looked at Naruto in horror when it suddenly clicked why I had the symbol on my back.

"Yes?" I prodded, amused and trying not to laugh as I stared incredulously at Sasuke who was looking mystified that it had taken them this long to figure it out. Naruto was having a hard time trying to picture it. "But your last name's Kimura, not Uchiha." he said, stupidly. I shook my head at his stupidness.

"Haven't you heard of cousins?" I drawled. Sakura rose to her full height, she didn't like my attitude that clearly matched Sasuke's.  
"Well give us some credit. There weren't any clues or signs." I laughed humourlessly and Sasuke joined in.

"You guys really are thick!" he announced and turned away from us, leaving me to explain.

"Wouldn't our personality or appearances have given it away?" I pressed, trying to get them to understand.

"But your family is psychic. You told me yourself." protested Sakura, getting frustrated.  
"Yeah, I did tell you. But I didn't tell you what abilities my mother's side of the family had." I explained, patiently. Naruto stood up and came over to me with a ambitious look on his face.

"Prove it then. We've seen your father's abilities. Show us your mother's." he challenged.

I looked at Sasuke who gestured to me to proceed with a bored expression on his face. I turned to one of the stumps not currently occupied by a person sitting on it and started making hand signs.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!)" and an enormous wave of fire burst forth from my mouth and engulfed the stump next to Sasuke. Sasuke didn't flinch but once the jutsu was through, he turned and smiled at me, impressed.

"You've been practising." he complimented me. I grinned modestly.

"Thanks."

Sakura and Naruto's eyes were out on stalks and were stunned when I had proven to them that I was in fact a Uchiha.

"I'm convinced. How about you, Naruto?" asked Sakura in a shaking voice. Naruto nodded.

"I'd better be careful from now on. I don't want to get incinerated." he agreed. Both he and Sakura approached the stump and inspected it but found that the stump had been completely untouched even though they clearly saw it get engulfed.

"But how-?" asked Sakura, frowning.

"That's part of the jutsu. Nothing here can be harmed or killed. Unless somebody on the outside tampers with it." I explained. Naruto and Sakura were still staring at Sasuke and I as if we were sideshow attractions.

"What?" I sighed, resigned. Naruto came over and was inches away from my face inspecting me. I could smell his breath on my face. I wrinkled my nose – the ramen we had briefly stopped to consume before discovering Orochimaru's lair was still on his breath.

"How come you both never told us you were cousins?" Sakura asked, defensively.

"Yeah. 'Cause now that I know, I can see a resemblance between you." added Naruto, stepping away from me and draping his arm around my shoulders. Sasuke turned back round to address Naruto and scowled at him.

"What sort of resemblance?"

Sakura stepped forward to answer his question.

"What Akima said previously: The fringes and the personality." Sasuke and I nodded. But Sakura apparently hadn't finished yet.

"What happened to you both to make you so cold and withdrawn?"

Sasuke and I looked at her frustratedly and insulted.

"Why are you even asking me that question? I'm the way I am because of the one event in my life that destroyed me!" snapped Sasuke.

"Your parents' murder?" asked Sakura. "Is that the only reason?" I shook my head.

"It was that, and my parents' murder that made us the way we are."

The sounds of laughter broke the awful silence that crept up on us after Sasuke and I explained why we were the way we were. It was team 7 who were finally getting down to their first training session with Kakashi, and yet again Young Sasuke and Young Naruto were fighting. The memory was safe, happy and comforting. But remembering the deaths of my parents and Sasuke's parents opened up gaping wounds that I had thought were closed completely, but had been slashed open again by Sakura's probing questions, and I didn't feel comforted at all.

I leaned forward and rested my head in my hands as the sorrow washed over me. I felt arms holding me and somebody kissing my head and whispering in my ear.

"You alright, honey?" it was Sasuke, I looked up at him and shook my head, burying my face into his shoulder as the tears came and dripped down my nose. Something card-like had fallen from my pocket unnoticed by me.

"What's this?" asked Naruto, holding up the card. I raised my head from Sasuke's shoulder and took the card from the blonde's hand. It was a picture of team 7 and on the back of the card was a picture of my entire family: the Uchiha's and the Kimura's.

"Mum. Dad." I whispered, loud enough for Sasuke to hear. I stared most particularly at the picture of the Uchiha children: the proud and arrogant Itachi stood beside his father with his arms crossed over his chest with a sombre expression on his face, and his father's hand was resting on his shoulder, while a very young Sasuke stood in the centre, in front of his mother and his Aunt with an equally as young me in ringlet pigtails piggybacking him. Both Sasuke and I were smiling happily as I pressed my cheek against his. I put the photo back in my pocket and ran. I wanted to escape my problems.

"Akima! Come back!" yelled Naruto and charged off after me. Sasuke stared daggers at Sakura who took a step back.

"You see what your tactless questions have done?" he snapped, tearfully and then he too got up and chased after me.

_**Hold on, Akima! I'm coming! **_

Sakura stared after Sasuke, seeing her chances of winning Sasuke's love fading as the guilt and remorse took over.

* * *

I ran as fast as my feet could carry me while the memories changed around me. Finally, I paused for breath in an alley and I recognised a wooden fence just beyond where I was standing. I hunched over struggling to breathe and I tried to alleviate a massive stitch that had formed in my side.

"Akima! Will you please slow down? We're trying to help you." gasped Sasuke, who grabbed my wrist thinking I was about to take off again.

"Thanks, but these are my demons to work out." I replied, gently taking back my wrist from Sasuke and straightened up just as I noticed our 13 year old selves standing near the wooden fence. All four of us looked incredibly bored.

"Oh! This memory!" piped up our Naruto who had just caught up with Sasuke and I and scared the shit out of both of us.

"Make some noise to let us know you're coming next time, dobe!" snapped Sasuke and leant up against the fence. I smacked Naruto on the shoulder for frightening me and turned back to the memory, just as Sakura arrived.

"Hey, what are we looking at?" she asked. I turned and smiled at Sakura before replying.

"The day we tried to see what was underneath Kakashi's mask."

Sakura's face deflated slightly. "Oh, great. Not again."

Naruto suddenly got inspired again.

"Yeah, but think about it. If we couldn't see it the first time, who says we can't try and see it again?" he speculated. The three of us frowned at the idea.

"Naruto, if we didn't see what was under there the first time, maybe we weren't supposed to." Sasuke, the buzz kill replied.

"Yeah. But it can't hurt." I backed up Naruto. Naruto grinned at me so Sakura and Sasuke sighed and reluctantly agreed. It was de-ja-vu time!

* * *

"Hey, you wanna see it don't cha?" Young Naruto was acting sneakier than usual. Young Sasuke who was standing with his back to Young Naruto turned his head and looked up at him irritatedly. While Young Sakura looked at Young Naruto suspiciously.

"I'd say it's time." declared Young Naruto. Young Sasuke was the first to answer.

"For what?"

Young Naruto was practically bouncing on the spot from excitement. Young Akima was balancing the point of a kunai blade on her finger, whilst simultaneously listening in on the conversation.

"C'mon, you know what I'm talking about. Kakashi-sensai's face!" Young Naruto snuck up on Young Sakura and shone a torch underneath his face, giving him the appearance of a scary face. Young Sakura yelled out in fright and annoyance, while Young Sasuke and Young Akima shook their heads at them, frowning.  
Young Sakura belted Young Naruto in the face with her fist.

"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!"

"Yeah, Naruto. Cut it out already." I had snapped, and I chucked the kunai blade into the air and watched as it plummeted at top speed to the ground before snatching it out of thin air and replacing it back into my pack and zipping it shut. I sucked absently on my finger as I had drawn blood balancing the kunai. Young Sasuke who had been watching the entire movement, smiled proudly at me, but rolled his eyes at Young Naruto and Young Sakura and turned to walk off.

"Please. This is lame. You can count me out..." Young Naruto had gotten back to his feet and was scowling at Young Sakura who was ignoring him, beaming and practically drooling over Young Sasuke. I stared distastefully at her.

"We finished today's mission and I'm outta here." he sauntered off. Young Sakura sighed contentedly.

"Yeah. You're totally right..." I pulled a revolted face at Young Naruto who silently agreed and both of us pretended to be violently sick on the ground.

"_'Yeah. You're totally right'_" I playfully mimicked Sakura who was standing beside me. Sakura glowered at me and Naruto started cacking himself laughing. Even Sasuke smirked at how ridiculous Sakura had sounded back then.

Young Naruto watched Young Sasuke making his retreat and a mischievous smirk crept across his face. He called out to him.

"What if he has lips-" Young Sasuke stopped in his tracks, listening to what Young Naruto had to say,

"... like a blimp?" added Young Sakura, playing along with Young Naruto's description. I remembered looking over at Sasuke with a playful smirk on my face as I watched his reaction. Young Sasuke tried picturing such a possibility and laughed slightly, but it wasn't enough to convince him.

"Go on. Try another possibility, Naruto." I had whispered in Young Naruto's ear. He nodded.

_Yeah, just one little push..._ and he called out to Young Sasuke again.

"Or maybe buck teeth...?"

Again, Sasuke pictured it. Finally, it convinced him to join the investigation. Young Naruto grinned in triumph and he, Sakura and I high-fived each other.

The memory shifted around us till we found ourselves standing outside a local Ramen shop. Peering 'round the corner, the four of us saw our younger counterparts perched at the wrap around table out the front of the shop with a confused, but pleasantly surprised Kakashi sitting next to them.

"Well, this is out of the ordinary." said Kakashi, as a bowl of Ramen was placed down in front of him by the shop owner.

"Here! Thanks for waiting!" Then he and his daughter also waited with the four of us to see what was underneath the mask.

"The four of you treating me to lunch? I wouldn't be surprised if it snowed on me." Kakashi looked up and as expected a large pile of snow fell on his head. Young Sasuke picked up a sign with 'he fell for it' written in bright red letters and all four us shouted "HE FELL FOR IT!".

Only this was just something that Kakashi had thought up to figure out why we had just brought him lunch.

"Know what I mean?" he asked, suspiciously. All four us gulped and looked like deer-caught-in-headlights, shaking our heads vehemently at him.

Kakashi tried another scenario: like before, the Ramen shop owner placed a bowl of Ramen in front of Kakashi.

"Thanks for waiting!"

"The four of you treating me to lunch? I wouldn't be surprised if it snowed on me, TODAY!" Kakashi flinched, looking up, but nothing happened. The four of us waited patiently. Kakashi blinked confusedly.

"Or something..." and picked up some chopsticks, only to be sprayed in the face with some brown smoke. Young Sasuke picked up a sign with 'he fell for it' written in bright red letters and all four us shouted "HE FELL FOR IT!".

"Is that the idea?" he asked, warning in his voice. But again, the four of us shook our heads, denying his speculations.

_ Third time's the charm... _Thought Kakashi and let his mind travel. The Ramen shop owner placed a bowl of Ramen in front of Kakashi.

"Here! Thanks for waiting!"

"The four of you treating me to lunch? You're not gonna drop a big pile of snow on me?" Kakashi flinches and looks up, arms over his head. But nothing fell.

"Or something like... that!" Kakashi flinches as he pulls some chopsticks from the holder, expecting a cloud of brown smoke to engulf him. Again, nothing.  
Kakashi was getting paranoid. He settled down to eat his meal.

"Nah. I'm just being silly." He looks up and is punched in the face by an extending boxing glove which sends him flying out of the Ramen shop and flattened against the wall opposite. He moaned in pain. Looking up he sees the Ramen shop owner, his daughter who was holding the extending glove in her hands, and his students looking at him crumpled on the floor. Young Sasuke had a sign in his hands with 'he fell for it' written in bright red letters and six people shouted "HE FELL FOR IT!".

Kakashi stared sternly at his students with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well?" All four of us cringed.

"C'mon. You guys are up to something, right?" Young Naruto started stammering.

"Wha-wha-wha-wha-What are you crazy?" and we all grinned sheepishly at Kakashi. Young Sakura smiled nervously at him:

"Kakashi-sensai, please you just got out of the hospital." Kakashi nodded.

"Now, uh, uh please. Why don't you just go ahead and eat?" Young Sakura encouraged.

"Honestly, Sensai. This is just a random act of kindness. No catches we swear." I added. I can be a very convincing liar when I need to be. The others agreed with me. This seemed to convince Kakashi.

"Well. Alright then. I suppose I should just dig in."

"Thank you for waiting." said the Ramen shop owner.

"The Roasted Pork is on us!" added his daughter, enthusiastically.

Young Naruto, Young Sasuke, Young Sakura and Young Akima watched with determination as Kakashi reached over and pulled some chopsticks from its holder.

Young Sakura's eyes narrowed and she waited impatiently as Kakashi broke his chopsticks apart.

Young Naruto was practically wetting himself with excitement as Kakashi went to pull down his mask, while Young Sasuke and Young Akima looked on with rapt interest. Young Akima had her hands clenched together so tightly her knuckles went white.

"Boy, this looks good!" oozed Kakashi, still suspecting we were planning something. I could hear it in his voice. Which might explain why what happened next, happened.

Naruto turned to Sasuke, Sakura and I as we watched the amusing scene in front of us unfold.

_"Alright guys, we already know what's going to happen."_ he said bitterly.

I snorted with anger.

_"Yeah. Don't remind me. I'll be seeing it soon enough."_ said Sasuke, arms crossed over his chest.

_"Ino-pig!"_ muttered Sakura, cracking her knuckles. I was leaning against the wall watching Kakashi about to pull down his mask.

_"I really wished I could've shoved a chopstick up Choji's nose."_ I muttered, bitterly. Naruto stepped in front of us brooding over what we failed to see.

_"So we failed then. Doesn't mean we can't have a crack at it now!"_ he egged us on.

It was a good point.

_"That's very true."_ agreed Sasuke, unfolding his arms and I saw the determination he had had that day return with a vengance.

_"What are we waiting for?"_ asked Sakura, and she and the rest of us barrelled forward just as our younger counterparts gulped, waiting for the moment to reveal itself when...

"Hey, Sasuke! What a coincidence!" screeched Ino, with a huge grin on her face as she pounced on an unsuspecting Young Sasuke, whose face was slammed into the counter. All four of us were blocked from view by Ino, Choji and Shikamaru who chose that inconvenient moment to say hello to us.

I could've throttled them! While Young Naruto and Young Sakura screamed in fury. And all hell broke loose as the four of us tried in vain to push Ino, Choji and Shikamaru out of the way.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, INO-PIG!" shrieked Young Sakura.

_Thud! _

_ Bang! _

"AW MAN! I CAN'T SEE SQUAT!" whined Young Naruto.

"IF I MISS THIS CHOJI, YOUR ASS IS MINE!" I threatened the overly porked up ninja who was being placed in a head lock by Young Sasuke who was trying to fend off Ino – with some help from Young Sakura of course.

We were in the perfect position to finally see Kakashi's face, and even then we didn't have any luck, AGAIN! As our counterparts finally managed to move the offensive blockades out of their view, Kakashi had already replaced his mask over his mouth.

"Ah! All done! That was tasty!" We, the older counterparts were mystified when even we managed to miss what was underneath the mask as well.

_"You've gotta be kidding me!"_ shrieked Naruto.

_"Not again!"_ cried Sakura, horrified. My face dropped into my boots and I slumped onto the stool next to Kakashi, admitting defeat. It was Sasuke who pretty much summed it up.

_"Told you we weren't meant to see it."_ he drawled. Naruto and Sakura turned and glared at him. Their eyes flashed from fury.

_"Still, it was pretty funny when Sakura tackled Ino and Sasuke placed Choji in that headlock!"_ I chuckled. Naruto and Sakura stopped glaring at Sasuke to see that I was correct.

"HUH! SO FAST!" All four of us yelled when we had seen Kakashi had finished his meal and had replaced his mask back over whatever he was hiding, as Choji gasped for air underneath Young Sasuke's armpit.

"Hm? Something wrong?" asked Kakashi, confusedly.

"Ha ha. No. Of course not! What makes you say that?" asked Young Sakura, hastily as she held Ino by the throat. Ino was glaring at Young Sakura with a lump appearing on the back her head where Young Sakura had just bopped her. Suddenly, Young Naruto noticed something.

"What the-?" Young Sasuke looked too.

"Huh?"

The Ramen shop owner and his daughter had seen what Kakashi looked like underneath his mask, we realised. The daughter was in love, while the Ramen shop owner was impressed. Kakashi was confused, while all four of us were pissed off.

"OKAY! NOW I'M CURIOUS!" we said.

The memory reverted back to where we started with the memory, where we suddenly saw Young Naruto was having a hissy fit.

"That's it! Nothing's gonna stop me from seeing that face!" he declared.

_"Yeah. Your determination and stubbornness still drives us up the wall, Naruto."_ muttered Sakura. Naruto sighed in frustration.

_"Just watch the memory, Sakura."_ droned Naruto.

"Yeah, but how? You got any ideas?" asked Young Sakura. (Naruto grinned devilishly at Sakura who blushed in annoyance and thumped Naruto over the head. Sasuke and I chuckled at their squabbling).

"Don't you worry. We'll see it one way or another." promised Young Naruto, who was at again with the torch. This earned him another punch in the face from Young Sakura.

"I'M ASKING YOU HOW, YOU STUPID LITTLE TROLL!" she screamed at him. Young Akima sighed in annoyance. Young Naruto sat up, wincing, while Young Sakura started breathing like a hyperventilating hyena.

"Alright then, smarty pants. How do you propose we do it?" Young Naruto replied angrily, rubbing his head where a large lump was forming. That was where Young Sakura was at a loss for words.

"Well, we-" she started to say. But Young Sasuke interrupted with his plan.

"We'll just have to tail him around for the day."

I helped Young Naruto to his feet.

"He'll take off the mask eventually." Young Sasuke sauntered off again. Young Sakura beamed at him.

"Oh, Sasuke. I swear you're so smart."

Young Akima jogged after Young Sasuke.

"Doesn't that annoy you?" I asked him. "More than you know." Young Sasuke agreed and continued walking.

"Oh whatever. Good plan, Captain Obvious!" retorted Young Naruto.

"I'm sorry? What was that!" snarled Young Sakura, pulling Young Naruto close by his lapels and brandishing her fist in front of his face. Young Naruto stared nervously at Young Sakura's fist and cowered away.

"Uh, never mind..."

By the time that part of the memory was over, both Sasuke and I were laughing so hard tears were falling down our faces.

_"Your face. It was priceless."_ breathed Sasuke, holding his sides. Naruto glared viciously at Sasuke. We spent the rest of the memory reliving our four counterparts shadowing Kakashi as he did his daily routines such as grocery shopping – where when he walked past a bookshop, he got excited over a favourite book that had been turned into a movie and when he raced off to buy tickets was quickly followed by us, but he instantly vanished which shocked us.

Then he materialised behind us and scared the shit out of us, inquiring what we were doing. Plan after plan failed until finally, getting fed up, I impatiently asked the obvious question:

"Kakashi-sensai what is underneath your mask?" Kakashi stared at us dubiously as Young Sasuke, Young Naruto and Young Sakura echoed my question.

"Is that all? Well, sure, I can show you what's underneath my mask." He went to pull down his mask and we all held our breath.

_It's gotta be the blimp lips... _ Thought Young Sasuke.

_It's gotta be the buck teeth..._ Thought Young Sakura.

_C'mon! C'mon! _I thought, impatiently.

_WHAT IS IT? _Young Naruto practically screamed in his head. Kakashi pulled down his mask to reveal that he was wearing another mask underneath.

* * *

"Yep. That was a totally pointless exercise." said Sasuke, as the memory faded and everything went black.

"Yeah, we all had so much fun..." added Naruto, who was holding the same stupid torch underneath his face. Sakura smacked him hard over the head once again as Naruto saw stars.

"YOU HAVEN'T LEARNED FROM THE LAST TIME HAVE YOU?" snapped Sakura. I reached out and snatched the torch from Naruto's hands.

"No. He obviously hasn't." I frowned disapprovingly and went to put the torch in my bag but froze when the memory stopped and we were suddenly standing in the middle of the woods, at what looked like the middle of the night.

"What just happened?" I asked. Sasuke immediately went into the defensive position, pulling his katana from his scabbard.

"I don't know but something just doesn't feel right."

Something moved in the distance. Turning, we saw somebody dressed in a dark hood moving silently through the trees.

"There's something funky going on here." said Sakura, stating the absolutely obvious.

"Now who's being Captain Obvious?" retorted Naruto and ducked the blow he knew was coming from Sakura. However, Sasuke snatched Sakura's wrist mid-swing and pulled it forcibly back to her side.

"The idiot's right. Your statement was kinda obvious." and he moved to follow the hooded person, while Naruto continued to rub the back of his head where Sakura had stuck him.

"Sakura's gonna give me a concussion someday." he mumbled and chased after Sasuke and Sakura.

I had a bad feeling forming in the pit of my stomach as I followed my team mates.


	6. Cursed and Alone

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters therein.

* * *

**CURSED AND ALONE**

Temporarily abandoned by my team mates, I followed the cold shiver running down my spine as I came in view of a large house with one window still lit from candlelight. My eyes widened when I realised whose house this was.

_My home. I haven't been here for nearly ten years... _

I instantly saw Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto crouched behind a tree as they were watching the movements of a stranger robed in black and making suspicious movements towards my house. I silently made my way over to where the others were crouched observing the stranger.

"Akima!" whispered Sakura, who was gesturing urgently at me to quickly crouch down beside them. The memory certainly didn't ring a bell at the moment, although I was definitely positive that this was **my** memory.

"Do you know what's going on?" added Naruto, who pulled me down into a crouch next to him. I shook my head but noticed my hand was shaking violently. My body knew about this memory, so why didn't my brain? The stranger looked around him, obviously trying to sense if anybody was around, then carefully slid the bamboo door open and stepped inside.

"C'mon!" whispered Sasuke, taking my hand and half-leading, half-dragging me towards the door the stranger had just disappeared into. Naruto and Sakura following closely.

I slid the door open and stepped inside. The hallway was dark and the only source of light was the moonlight behind me. Moving like a cats, the four of us slunk in further, and I lead the way remembering exactly where I was going and found myself entering the sitting room. I paused, waiting for Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke to come in behind me. I looked around the room trying to place the memory that was somehow mine, and saw sitting in a corner of the small but cozy room, cowering and protecting something nestled in their arms was a young couple with fear masking their pale faces. I gasped recognising them almost instantly.

_Mom..._

_ Dad..._

The something that was huddled in their arms was clearly me, back when I was five years old.

"Akima!" whispered Naruto, I barely heard him. My throat had closed over and the rest of my body, not just my hands, started shaking.

"Akima!" tried Sakura, firmly, taking my hand in hers. But when I didn't respond, Sakura looked at Sasuke for answers. He just shrugged, still not understanding the memory unfolding before him. I dropped to my knees, as I knew exactly what this memory was now – it was the night my parents had been murdered. The dark hooded stranger was obviously the culprit and I was eager to learn who that person was, but also dreading it as well. Because it meant my parents' death was a reality I couldn't fix or escape from.

"Akima? What's wrong?" I heard Sasuke's voice as though it was coming from so very faraway. I turned to look at him, worry and concern clearly evident on his face, as well as Naruto and Sakura's.

"Honey, tell me, please?" Sasuke urged, desperately. But before I could reply, an inhuman laugh rumbled behind us, causing us to jump from fright and rush further into the room.

"Akima!" Naruto was clearly getting frustrated, "What's going on? Where are we?" But I couldn't answer now.

And neither could Sasuke as he had just cottoned on to what this memory was after seeing the couple and recognising them as his Aunt and Uncle. He and I were frozen where we were in absolute horror and mounting grief, when the dark hooded stranger strode into the room and threw back his hood, revealing himself as Orochimaru in one of his disguises. I felt a wave of hatred from the tips of my toes all the way up to my head as Orochimaru glided into the room and fixed my parents with an oily grin.

Forgetting that I couldn't touch Orochimaru because he was a memory, I drunkenly rose to my feet and pulled free a kunai from my pack. But Naruto grabbed my wrist and forcibly stopped me, pulling the kunai from my shaking hands and gently guided me back to the ground. I started sobbing loudly as Naruto pulled me into his arms and let me cry into his chest. Pretty much what my five year old self was doing with my mother.

"I don't like this. I feel like something bad is about to happen." said Sakura, who was desperately trying to shake Sasuke out of his comatose state, but he was not co-operating.

"That's because something bad is about to happen, Sakura." I replied, my voice cracking from the grief as Naruto started rocking and trying to comfort me. Then Sasuke spoke, his voice matching mine as tears started falling down his cheeks.

"No. It can't be." Sakura, who still didn't get it looked at me and Sasuke, looking for a straight answer.

"Sasuke, what is wrong?" But Orochimaru suddenly laughed again, rendering us to silence as Sakura's question was finally answered.

"What a pretty child." cooed Orochimaru. The young man stood up from where he was crouched with his wife and daughter, and pointed threateningly at the rogue ninja.

"Leave this house, you demon!" The insult registered on Orochimaru's face, but he responded by merely tutting disapprovingly at my father.

"Where are your manners? This is just a friendly social call." he explained, smirking at the outraged expression on my father's face.

"Social call! Do you think I'm a fool! The only reason why you would be here, Orochimaru, would be to kidnap my daughter and add her to your twisted collection!"

"That's one good reason, I suppose. But that's not why I'm here." replied Orochimaru, taking a turn about the room, picking up possessions, looking at them and placing them down again.

"Then why are you here?" my father asked, crouching down and taking me into his arms. Orochimaru stared down at my younger self, like I was a tasty morsel he was about to devour.

"I'm here to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage for after she becomes of age." Orochimaru replied, simply. I felt my stomach churn from revulsion as my parents looked completely horrified by the idea.

"That's sick!" yelled Naruto, turning green.

"Gross!" agreed Sakura, who was staring daggers at Orochimaru and had my hand clamped painfully in hers. Sasuke snarled, baring his teeth at he glared at man who was training him to become more powerful than he had ever been.

"Never!" cried my father. Orochimaru's face twisted in surprise. He obviously never had come across decent parents who cared for their child's well-being and loved them unconditionally to allow them to choose who they wanted to marry when they wanted to. I silently thanked my parents for standing up to Orochimaru over this.

"What's wrong with that? She'll become an honourary member of a very powerful clan. An unstoppable clan at the very least." I looked at Sasuke with dread. He was already immersed deeply within Orochimaru's clan - a fact Sasuke appeared to be regretting, now that he had learnt something else from Orochimaru that repulsed him and his former team mates. But I knew that even if Orochimaru wasn't an option, Sasuke would still have left to seek training else where. He no longer wanted to live in Konoha. It brought back too many bad memories.

"My answer is 'no!' Now leave this house immediately!" ordered my father, rising to his feet and brandishing a kunai at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's pleasant attitude vanished as he stared at the threatening blade in my father's steady hand.

"I said leave!" my father snapped, eyes blazing.

A trait that Sasuke had said my eyes did whenever I got murderously angry. Orochimaru pulled a sword from within his hooded jacket, removed it from the scabbard and pointed it at my father, who faltered slightly at the size of the blade knowing that he was obviously outmatched and had limited options. My mother, five year old me, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura and I watched helplessly from the sidelines as Orochimaru and my father started circling like a couple of male lions ready to pounce on each other and tear one another to shreds with their teeth.

Then the fighting began and I wanted to run from the room, but I also wanted to know why I couldn't remember anything except for the sharp, painful penetrating feeling in my neck that had caused me to violently convulse and sweat, and then waking up hours later staring into the eyes of Itachi and Sasuke, who was too young at the time to understand what had happened to me – until now. The fight didn't last long and everybody screamed in horror as we saw Orochimaru fatally impale my father through his stomach, just like Sasuke had been about to do to Naruto, only hours ago.

"NO!" bellowed Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. I stared, not breathing, at the blade protruding from my father's back as the six people watching in horror heard the sickening slurp of the blade being removed swiftly from my father's corpse and the heavy thud as the body collapsed on the pine-thatched floor, blood pooling all around it.

"You monster!" snarled Sakura, as Orochimaru turned away from the body without another glance and advanced towards his next obstacle: my grief-stricken and utterly horrified mother.

"Hand over the child, and you shall live." promised Orochimaru, extending his pale hand towards my totally petrified five year old self. I really must have blocked this out of my head, because I don't remember this at all.

"I would rather die a thousand deaths, before I will hand my daughter to you!" snarled my mother, pushing me behind her and shielding my body with hers. Orochimaru took back his hand and smiled sardonically at her.

"And die you shall. Pity, such a waste of human life." he indicated my father's corpse with a fleeting glance. I could feel Naruto's fingernails digging into my arms and I yelled out in pain as I looked up and saw that the pupils in Naruto's eyes had reduced to red slits and his teeth were rapidly forming into sharp fangs. I didn't blame him, but he couldn't kill Orochimaru now. The only people he'd be killing would be Sasuke, Sakura and me.

"Naruto, you're hurting me." I winced and suddenly his hands were whipped away.

"Let go of her!" snarled Sasuke, his eyes also flashing. Naruto turned his rage on Sasuke and sprang into his notorious defensive crouch. He was starting to transform into the fox-demon that dwelled within him. I had reached my limit. I stood up and my eyes flashed, putting an powerful calming jutsu on both the men in my life. Both faltered and collapsed, just as my mother spoke once more.

"Of course. But allow me the chance to say a proper goodbye to my daughter before we fight." My mother sternly requested. Orochimaru waved his hand dismissively.

"Do as you wish. Your daughter is mine anyhow." My mother glared at Orochimaru before pulling me from behind her and cupping my cheeks in her hands. This part I do remember. My mother leaned forward and kissed my forehead as I cried bitterly.

"Mommy, don't go!" I begged. Tears were falling down my face, I looked at Sakura – she was crying also and was being consoled by a weeping Naruto. But it hit Sasuke hardest, he was remembering the day we had found his parents dead on the floor of his house, with Itachi standing over them with a dripping bloody sword. Only, he had been spared seeing his parents being murdered in front of him. I went over to him and folded him up into my arms as he cried and heaved.

"Akima, no matter what happens next, please believe me when I tell you, your father and I love you with all our hearts. Promise me that you'll tell nobody what happened here unless it's absolutely necessary."

"I don't want to, Mommy. Please don't make me." I sobbed. My mother hugged me tightly.

"I know. I know you don't want to, honey. But your father and I did this is all for you. Please! Just promise me." she urged, patiently. I nodded unhappily and she kissed my head.

"That's my girl." Then we watched as my mother secretly tucked a letter into the pocket of my purple dressing gown without Orochimaru seeing.

"Alright! Enough sentimental drivel. Face me or die!" snapped Orochimaru. My mother stood still holding my hand which I clutched with fright and glared at Orochimaru.

"I will put up a fight, Orochimaru. I promise you that." Mom promised. Then proving she was indeed a Uchiha, Sasuke and I saw my mother form the three comma sharingan – which meant she was willing to do anything to win the battle against Orochimaru, even copy his powers and use them against him. Orochimaru noticed the change in my mother's eyes and it peaked his interest. But suddenly he had to leap aside as a tongue of fire narrowly missed him. When he looked back he was kicked in the head by my mother's foot and blind-sided by her left hook.

"Yeah! Get him! Kick his ass!" cheered Naruto, but stopped when he saw the grave expressions on Sasuke's face and my face.

"What? Why aren't you cheering?" he asked, puzzled. I looked up at him sadly.

"Remember when I told you guys about my parents?"

Naruto and Sakura nodded.

"My mother is not going to survive, Naruto." Naruto looked outraged and this fact was rudely confirmed when we heard my mother scream and gag. Then the sound of metal slicing flesh and the sound of a body thudding to the floor. That was when the screaming started.

The screaming came from both Sakura and five year old me as Orochimaru had fashioned a clone from out of nowhere and the clone had extended his ridiculously long forked tongue which wrapped around and trapped five year old me on the spot. I watched in horror as Orochimaru grinned evilly and came over to his absolutely scared and heavily bound 'prisoner' who was staring at him with eyes as wide as saucers. The hidden sound ninja wiped away the tears in my five year old eyes with his pale fingers and leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Don't fight it, my sweet. It will only hurt for a moment." Then without warning, sinks his teeth into the frightened little girl's neck.

A strong burning pain flared up on the back of my neck, causing me to scream in unison with the struggling little girl before us and clutched my neck in panic as I slumped forward and clenched my hand into a hard fist, so hard that my knuckles turned white. Sasuke, knowing the symptoms, immediately pulled my hand away from my neck and saw the dreaded 'cursed seal of heaven mark' (which had flared up and was pulsing like a gaping wound). It was identical to the one the back of his neck.

"Akima!" screamed Naruto and Sakura, once more. I shook violently and spewed up on the floor from the pain.

Sasuke held back my hair so I didn't get sick on it. There wasn't anything any of them could do for me. Suddenly, the sounds of somebody trying to get into the house interrupted Orochimaru who looked up, licking my blood from his lips. He got to his feet and pulled the hood over his head and made a hasty exit out the back door – content with the knowledge that someday, I would possibly be coming to him seeking more power, like Sasuke did. The only sounds we could hear was the frightened sobbing of the five year old girl just beyond them and me coughing after emptying my stomach.

Suddenly, somebody entered the room in a frantic state. It was Master Jiraiya. Obviously, he had heard me screaming and had come in to my rescue. He saw the corpses of my parents and swore colourfully. Then he noticed me convulsing violently and sweating, but thankfully nodding off to sleep.

"Oh, you poor kid. I'd better take you to the Hokage. He'll know what to do." he muttered to himself and scooped my unconscious body into his arms.

* * *

The memory faded away.

I sat up and tried to get to my feet shakily with Sasuke and Naruto supporting my weight by each holding on to one of my elbows each.

"Do you know what happened next, Akima?" asked Sakura, who was wiping my face with a clean handkerchief.

I shook my head, but then another memory immediately materialised, almost after Sakura asked her question. We found ourselves standing in the middle of a private courtyard in large mansion-like house. I recognised it almost immediately as the Uchiha household. Sitting not too faraway from where we were standing was five year old Sasuke Uchiha sitting nearby in a door frame, playing a flute. His brother, Itachi, was sitting underneath the family's tree reading one of his books. A delicious smell of roasting meat hung in the air, which told us that the Uchiha boys' mother was currently cooking.

"Is this your memory, Sasuke?" asked Sakura, who had walked over to the unsuspecting five year old who was beautifully blowing out a lilting melody and apparently irritating Itachi who kept looking up at his kid brother with an annoyed scowl.

"Do you have to play that infernal song right now, Sasuke?" asked Itachi, closing his book for a moment to glare at his brother. Young Sasuke stopped playing and scowled up at his brother.

"But I have to practise." he protested in his little reedy voice, that I cracked a smile at, and looked up at Sasuke who was troubled by this memory.

"Wow. I'm not used to that." piped up Naruto, who grinned at Sasuke who gave him an extremely small smile. Itachi sighed as he remembered their father saying this to Young Sasuke.

"If you refrain from playing on that flute. I promise I'll take you out for some training." bargained Itachi, who cracked a thin smile at his kid brother knowing he couldn't resist the chance to learn something new. Young Sasuke's eyes lit up in excitement and rushes over to his brother's side.

"Really! You mean it?" Itachi nodded, and poked Young Sasuke in the forehead like he frequently did.

"Only if you stop annoying me." Young Sasuke nodded enthusiastically and disappeared back into the house, presumably to put his flute away. Itachi went back to reading his book, when there was a knock at the front door.

"Ugh, what now?" Itachi muttered. He heard his mother open the door and then gasp in dismay.

"Oh God, No!" Itachi frowned at his mother's choice of words.

"That doesn't sound good."

Young Sasuke dashed out of the sliding door he had disappeared through and came over to Itachi's side. Both brothers looked curiously at the sliding door leading towards the front door as they heard their father answering his wife's distressed outburst.

"Mikoto, what's wrong? Who's at the door?" There were sounds of muffled conversation before Fugaku stuck his head out the door leading to the front door and called out to Itachi.

"Itachi, come here please." Itachi put his book aside and followed his father to the front door. More muffled conversation followed and moments later Itachi emerged into the courtyard holding a small bundle with exposed snow white legs in pale purple pants in his arms. Itachi had a weird expression on his face, like he was very happy about what he was holding in his arms but also extremely grave about why he was holding the bundle in his arms. Itachi went back over to where Young Sasuke was standing frowning at what Itachi was carrying.

As Itachi sat down on the bench under the tree, the Sasuke standing next to me holding one of my elbows started to explain the memory to a very confused Naruto and Sakura.

"This was the day Akima came to live with us permanently." he explained, as his five year old self suddenly exclaimed loudly:

"What have you got there, Itachi?" Itachi shushed Young Sasuke by covering his brother's mouth with his whole hand. Itachi removed the thick blanket covering the bundle's face and it was revealed to be, as Sasuke had explained, five year old me who was sleeping unsuspectingly. Or at least I had been, until Young Sasuke's loud inquiry. I started in Itachi's arms and I stirred.

"Oh! Nice going, genius." scolded Itachi scowling unimpressed at Young Sasuke as five year old me frowned in annoyance and yawned loudly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. How was I supposed to know she was sleeping?" Young Sasuke sniped back at his older brother.

Sasuke (standing beside me) chuckled and started ruffling up my hair. I stepped down hard on Sasuke's foot, causing him to wince in pain and hop up and down on the spot.

Five year old me slowly opened her eyes and saw both cousins staring down at her. Both boys were pleased to see me, of course, but also very curious.

"What's going on?" I asked, groggily and tried sitting up.

Itachi assisted me into a seated position and accidentally pulled down on the blanket, exposing the dressing that had been taped over the bite marks Orochimaru had unceremoniously put there and the resulting 'curse seal of heaven' mark that had suddenly appeared moments after Orochimaru had bitten me.

"Don't you remember what happened, Akima?" asked Itachi. Five year old me shook her head and slid off Itachi's lap to stand upright on the pebbly ground. But instantly stumbled, Young Sasuke immediately reached out and caught me.

"Careful, Akima."

Five year old me looked up into Young Sasuke's eyes and smiled sleepily then rested her head on his shoulder and fell asleep again. Itachi started laughing as Young Sasuke struggled to support his cousin's weight.

* * *

"Where did your parents go, Sasuke?" Sakura asked when no adults returned and the memory started fading away again.

"I learnt later on from Itachi that Mom and Dad had gone off to Dad's study with that pervert, Jiraiya and the 3rd Hokage who had brought Akima to us, to tell them why she had that dressing on her neck and the fate of my Aunt and Uncle." Sasuke explained, shortly. He obviously was still reeling from learning exactly what had caused me to come and live with them permanently.

"Yikes! I wouldn't want to be the one to reveal that news to your parents." commented Naruto, who had shuddered at the mere thought.

"Tactless as usual. Why am I expecting anything less?" drawled Sasuke, who had closed his eyes the moment Naruto had made the comment and frowned deeply.

"I remembered shortly after that, that Mom had put that envelope in my pocket. Inside was this picture..." I produced the photo they had already seen from my pocket. Sasuke took the photo from me and was staring at it as I continued talking.

"When we got our copies of team 7's photo, I glued it together with that photo and kept on me ever since."

"That's really cool, Akima!" said Naruto, impressed. Sakura came over and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Is there a specific reason why you did that?" I nodded.

"Like I had said before to Sai, besides my real family – whom I loved with all my heart, and still do..." I took Sasuke's hand and squeezed it. He squeezed back and refused to let go of my hand as he stroked it affectionately with his thumb.

"But you two-" I pointed to Naruto and Sakura.

"Are also my family and I would do anything to prevent harm to you both." Sasuke let go of my hand as I was suddenly hugged by both Naruto and Sakura tightly.

Then the scenery around us changed once more.

Unknowingly, I had tapped into the psychic abilities that allowed me to see into the future. And somehow I teleported us to the distant future...


	7. All The Small Things

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.**  
**

**NOTE: **I had a bad case of writer's block when trying to write this chapter, so I apologise if this chapter kinda sucks. Enjoy :)

* * *

**ALL THE SMALL THINGS**

We found ourselves standing in the Hokage's office over looking the entire village of Konohagakure. The village itself had completely changed – looking like it had been completely rebuilt from the ashes of a long finished Ninja war.

"Why are we in Granny Tsunade's office?" asked Naruto, frowning.

"Yeah, who's so called memory is this?" drawled Sasuke as Naruto suddenly grinned devilishly and wondered over to the Hokage's chair and cheekily making himself comfortable in it. Sakura immediately reacted at this.

"Naruto, you idiot! Get your ass out of that chair before Lady Tsunade catches you!" Sakura bellowed at the mischievous spikey haired blonde. There was a knock at the door that everybody looks up at. Naruto freaks out, immediately hops out of the chair and stands in front of the desk, trying to look innocent.

"Uh? Come in?" I called out, feeling odd. I looked over at Sasuke who was looking extremely uncomfortable, considering this was probably the last place anybody who could walk through that door would expect him to be. The door opened and in walked a young woman of about 20 years old who seemed surprised to see us in here. The young woman was slender and elegant, dressed in a white and purple japanese fighting dress complete with very long white sleeves and fishnet fabric top underneath, knee high black ninja boots, black elbow-length lace hobo gloves and black fingernails. The woman's blue black hair was tied back in a sleek knot and a kunai pack was strapped to her thigh.

Nobody said anything for a moment, fully expecting the woman to freak out and do something unfortunate like toss us out the window, call for the ninjas at the front gate to apprehend us, or attack us herself. Instead, she calmly closed the door behind her and smiled radiantly at us. Sasuke immediately went on guard, not trusting her at all. But there was something familiar about the woman.

"We've been expecting you." she said, coming over and perching on the desk next to Naruto who didn't appear to mind that a total stranger was sitting next to him and looking incredibly pleased to see not just him, but his team-mates as well. Sakura stepped forward and awkwardly addressed the strange young woman.

"Excuse me, but are you Lady Tsunade's new assistant?" the woman's face twisted in amusement.

"Lady Tsunade has long since retired." The pink haired kinoichi raised her eyebrows in shock.

"Then who is the Hokage?" Sakura asked. The young woman stood up from her perch and walked over to the window, unlocking it and stepping out to the embankment outside.

"Follow me to the roof and you'll find out." When everyone hesitated, the young woman sighed patiently and stepped back in, crossing her arms across her chest.

"It's perfectly safe. Nobody will see us." Naruto, Sakura and I shrugged and approached the window but Sasuke stopped us and stepped forward to address the woman, who I noticed smiled sweetly at him. A move that Sasuke immediately scowled at.

"Why do we have to go on the roof for you to answer Sakura's question?"

"Because the answer is chiselled on the Konoha monument." The young woman replied simply, and effortlessly jumped on the roof. All four of us looked at each other and one by one followed the young woman out onto the roof. At the top, I looked at the woman pointing at the monument, where there was now 6 heads chiselled in the stone face. I stared at the new face and felt my jaw drop when I saw that one of us had fulfilled his dream.

Naruto squinted at the stone face, while somebody else joined us. Everybody except Naruto turned around and saw the newcomer.

"It kinda looks like..."

"Naruto!" Naruto turned his head to look at Sakura who was beaming at the newcomer that Naruto was yet to see. He looked annoyed at the interruption.

"Yeah, hang on! Don't rush me!" I rolled my eyes at Naruto's typical impatient ways.

"It's on the tip of my tongue..." he continued.

"Naruto." I interrupted him, again, poking him in the shoulder. He turned to look at me and saw me pointing towards a young man also around about 20 years old with similar albeit longer spikey blonde hair, blue eyes and was dressed in a pair of light grey coloured pants, a black zip up jacket and over that was a regal black and orange robe. It was a jade green jeweled necklace dangling around the young man's neck that made Naruto suddenly recognise who he was.

"Hey, that's mine!" he exclaimed pulling the exact same necklace from underneath his jacket.

The young man grinned at Naruto and came over.

"Correction. That's OURS." he replied. The young woman stepped forward and addressed the young man unusually formally.

"Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?" the older Naruto pulled a face at the young woman and sheepishly scratched his head.  
So very Naruto.

"Akima, how many times have I asked you not to call me that?" Four faces suddenly jerked with shock.

"AKIMA?" exclaimed Sakura. She turned to my older self. "You're Akima?" The young woman nodded.

"I'm THE Hokage?" asked Naruto, excitement on his face. The young man nodded enthusiatically.

"Yeah, we are! Believe it!"

"Oh YES!" Naruto jumped 50 feet in the air, and turned to Sasuke who was still scowling.

"I told you I would make it someday, Sasuke." Sasuke turned and walked away like he used to when we were thirteen years old.

"Hn. Whatever." and he dropped back into the Hokage's office. Sakura still couldn't get over the fact that she was staring at my older self and Naruto's older self.

"This is so weird. But totally cool!" she screeched at my older self who seemed backed into a corner. She looked at me for assistance, but I shook my head, knowing better and followed Sasuke's example. I swung in through the office window and landed in a crouch on top of Naruto's desk.

_Woah. There's something I'm gonna have to get used to eventually... _ I thought with a shudder and hopped down from the desk.

"You know it's funny." I looked up and saw Sasuke leaning against the wall of the office looking peeved off about something. But then again, Sasuke was always peeved off about something. And it saddened me, because he never used to be so cold, ruthless and cruel. Sasuke used to have the personality of the little boy we all saw back in his memory: very kind, sweet and had a playful innocence.

_Fuck you, Itachi. You stole my fun, innocent Sasuke away from me! _I sighed and perched on the desk.

"What's funny?" I asked, reluctantly.

"I keep thinking it over in my head about why I'm here, and all I can think is that this whole thing is utterly pointless." he replied, stubbornly. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, you don't know. You might meet your future self at any moment."

"Hn. It'd be my luck. You guys have already killed me by now." I pulled a face at his negativity.

_Let's hope not...  
_

Suddenly, there's another knock at the door and Sasuke and I froze. The door swings open and in rushes another young woman with long bubblegum pink hair talking non-stop as she stares down at a scroll in her hands. She was dressed in a burgandy and white dress also with a fishnet undershirt, knee high brown ninja boots and a single elbow-length brown glove on her right hand. Her kunai pack was strapped to her thigh as well.

"Hokage-sama, we've just received another scroll from the hidden-" the woman looks up and sees me staring at her in shock and amazement, and the young woman's face pales instantly.

"Akima? But how?" I look behind her at Sasuke who is staring at the young woman with a raised eyebrow. She follows my gaze and sees Sasuke, which then makes her scream excitedly and scares the shit out of Sasuke who topples over in shock and stares incredulously at the woman whom we both realised from the beaming scream was Sakura's older self.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry Sasuke!" and older Sakura picks up the scroll she had dropped in her excitement and dumps them on Naruto's desk (_shudder). _But then realises something and her ecstatic expression changes to an annoyed one and she bellows at the top of her lungs at the 6th Hokage as he swings back into his office, along with the older Akima, Naruto and Sakura, whose jaw drops when she sees her older self.

"Naruto, you idiot! Why didn't you tell me our past selves had come?" The Hokage looked like a cornered puppy before older Akima annoyedly snaps:

"Knock it off, Sakura!" Naruto comes over to my side and shares the same mystified expression on my face, as well as Sakura. The Kokage realises that somebody is missing and whispers in older Akima's ear. After getting her instructions, older Akima rushes over to the door and (after ruffling an irritated Sasuke's hair) disappears behind it.

"Where's she going?" asks Naruto. I silently seconded that question. The 6th Hokage, smiled at me and cupped my cheek before letting go and heading over to his desk and sitting behind it.

"Akima's fetching Sasuke. They won't be too long." Sasuke had a look on his face that told me that he couldn't believe that he had returned back to Konoha, after swearing black and blue that he was NEVER coming back. The 6th Hokage had a lot of explaining to do.

"How did you come to be the Hokage?" asked Sakura, staring impatiently at the door older Akima disappeared through.

"You've obviously seen that the village has changed a lot. Right?" All four of us nodded.

"Well, I became the Hokage after a large ninja war that happened shortly after Sasuke dealt with Itachi." My eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.

"There was a war?" Sakura was horrified, as the Hokage nods gravely. Sasuke stepped forward with an urgent expression on his handsome face.

"When you mean 'dealt', how was Itachi punished?" Sasuke asked with hopefulness in his eyes. The Hokage, however, held up a hand at Sasuke, who frowned in outrage.

"I cannot tell you that, Teme. Sorry mate." Sasuke snarled in frustration, although I could tell from the grave, disappointed expression on the older and almost certainly wiser Naruto's face that our Sasuke had also accomplished his life's ambition too, much to my disgust. The door opened again and in came older Akima and older Sasuke, who blinked sleepily around the room before focusing on the Hokage.

"What do you need now?" he snapped, groggily as he brushed the sleep from his eyes, yawned and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Take a look, Sasuke!" was the Hokage's response and gestured to us. Older Sasuke blinked at us all in turn and lingered the longest on both Sasuke and I.

"I see." turns to leave the room abruptly.

"Wait!" I rushed forward and grabbed his hand to stop him and instantly jolted as a premonition of what was to come in terms of the future involving the four of us.

I did not like what I saw as I toppled to the ground: Sasuke had indeed caught up with Itachi and both of them had a violent, bloody showdown where upon Sasuke became the ultimate victor. But the heartbreaking moment was when Itachi raised a weak and shaking hand to poke his kid brother affectionately in the forehead, then fell back and died. The flashbacks changed so quickly that I barely had time to register what I was seeing.

But Sasuke from the moment his brother died, went spiralling downhill towards the point of no return, and I was enraged when I saw a momentary glimpse of Sasuke wearing an Akatsaki robe.

I awoke from my premonition to find myself staring up at seven people's faces. Two out of the seven I had developed a firey rage towards. Sasuke extended a hand to help me to my feet, but I immediately activated my sharingans and shot both Sasuke's across the room where they crashed into the wall and crumpled to the ground, much to everybody – except the future counterparts - shock. Sasuke got to his feet and stared at me with concern but dared not approach me again. Immediately, my sharingans disappeared and I stared horrified at what I had just done. The older Sasuke, was also staring at me with concern, but it was a milder version because he knew the reasons why I had done it. I bolted, swan diving from the window and landing gracefully on some rooftops below.

"Akima! Wait!" shouted Sakura.

"We're not angry with you!" added Naruto, rushing after me. However, Sasuke beat him to it and he too swan dove off the building and tore off after me. Sakura and Naruto went to follow but were stopped by their older counterparts who gave them warnings about the future.

"Dark and difficult times are coming, as you've already seen. You cannot change them, but this will at least help you to save as many people as possible." explained the Hokage, cryptically.

"No matter what happens next, at least you know that your futures come off well." added older Sakura. Our Sakura nodded and took the same route as Sasuke and I did, screaming:

"Hurry up, Naruto!" Naruto stepped on the window ceil and went to jump, but felt a hand on his shoulder. He paused, turned and saw my older counterpart had come up behind him and was staring at him fondly.

"And a little word of advice for what happens next when you find me. Don't ask too many questions." she said, almost as cryptically as the Hokage's advice was. A glint of gold attracted Naruto's attention and he looked down to see a wedding band on older Akima's finger. He looked over at the Hokage, who gave him the thumbs up and Naruto also saw that he would be wearing a wedding band too.

"Hey are you two married?" Naruto asked his older self, but found himself talking to vast blackness.

"God damn it! That's so annoying!" he said, angrily. Then sprinted off to find me.


	8. Budding Romances

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**BUDDING ROMANCES**

Love: defined by some as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. Others would define it as a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child or friend.

For me, it's a dangerous emotion that frequently gets me in trouble – particularly if my love is directed towards several different people at once. For example: when I turned my anger on Sasuke, which threw him across the room. I was angry at him. But it was because I loved him deeply, and a case of being cruel to be kind. Unfortunately, I had unintentionally used too much cruelty and my anger flung him across the room like a rag doll which didn't completely dissolve the anger I was feeling and consequently made me feel horrible. So I ran for it. Cowards way out, obviously. But I still ran.

And I'm still running. But I wasn't getting any momentum, so I climbed up the first tree I saw and bound my way across them, finally going faster. But after a few near misses where I stumbled because my mind was preoccupied and distracted with my troubled thoughts, I decided to stop before I wiped myself out on a tree branch.  
Suddenly, I realised I was being followed and briefly stopped to find out who the person was. It was Naruto, he had picked up on my chakra and was speeding towards me like a bullet. I grinned happily. This was probably the only moment alone we ever had together, besides the day we first met. Too bad I was trying not to be found by any of them.

Eventually, I stopped on a tree branch and slumped down on it, dangling one leg off it and resting my head on my knee.

The tree branch bounced slightly as somebody landed on it directly in front of me. I didn't have to look up to know it was Naruto.  
He sat down across from me and placed a hand cautiously on my shoulder – probably fearing I'd shrug it off or send him flying like I did Sasuke.

"Akima? Are you okay?"

_Am I okay throwing my cousin across the room in a fit of rage I didn't even know I possessed and never want to possess again? Uh? No! _

I looked at Naruto with a sarcastic expression on my face as I yawned and stretched.

"That's a stupid question, Naruto." I replied, shortly. I flipped off the branch and landed gracefully among some evergreen bushes. Naruto followed suit, but landed rather clumsily.

"Well, you kinda freaked us out back there." he said, sheepish grin in place as he got to his feet and dusted himself off. I looked away from him, my lip trembling from remorse. Naruto reached out and smoothed back my fringe from my face as he tenderly said:

"It's okay to be angry, Akima. I'm still pissed off with Sasuke for leaving us."

I looked at Naruto's feet because I was still ashamed of my actions towards Sasuke and I didn't want to see the sympathy and concern on Naruto's face. It was his boisterous humour that finally got me to look him in the eyes.

"I'm just glad it was Sasuke who got hurled across the room and not me." he grinned, trying to look me in the eyes. I raised my head and smiled sweetly at him.

"Finally, got you looking at me!" he exclaimed and I laughed. Somehow his words filled me with comfort.

"That's the thing that makes me really happy about you, Naruto. You somehow manage to find the right words to say."

My voice broke on the word 'say', and I burst into tears, turning away from him. I felt Naruto's hand touch my shoulder and I turned and folded myself into his arms, sobbing into his jacket as Naruto's chin rested on my head. We both sank to our knees as Naruto comforted me.

A few minutes later, Naruto and I were sitting at the base of a tree, listening to the wind rushing through the leaves in the trees and the creak of an old swing that hung nearby. I was sitting in the space between Naruto's legs and leaning my back against his chest. While Naruto absently fiddled with a strand of my hair - something he did back when we were younger.

I decided to tell Naruto, off the record, why I had attacked Sasuke involuntarily.

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"You wanna know why I attacked Sasuke?" I asked, knowing I'd have to spill the beans eventually to Sasuke and Sakura too.

"Yeah, of course. Like I said, you freaked us out back there." Naruto replied. I sighed unhappily.

"Remember when I grabbed the older Sasuke's hand?"

Naruto nodded.

"Well, when I did I instantly got a premonition of the future. " Naruto stopped playing with my hair and looked at me with a slightly mystified expression on his face.

"Is there anything you can't do?" he asked, teasingly. I shrugged, nonchalently.

"Probably. It's bound to happen any day now. Anyway, in the 'future' Sasuke kills Itachi and then he goes on to become an Akatsuki member."

Naruto's face screws up in outrage.

"You're joking!"

"Wish I was." I whispered and started playing with Naruto's fingers nervously, while he resumed playing with my hair.

"Why would he want to throw his life away, Naruto?" I asked, not expecting an answer from him. I felt him shrug.

"Beats me. I don't live in Sasuke's head. And I bet it would be a scary place." he joked, then absently or not started slowly stroking my cheek with his thumb.  
I chuckled bitterly.

"That was a rhetorical question, you idiot." I sat up and looked at Naruto, who looked slightly offended when I called him an idiot.

"But thanks for trying, anyway." and then I did the riskiest thing possible: I kissed Naruto on the cheek.

Sighing, I moved away from Naruto and went to stand up, but felt Naruto wrap his fingers gently around my wrist and pulled towards himself sharply. I stumbled and fell heavily on my ass. I turned on Naruto.

"Naruto! What are you...?" I yelled, but Naruto placed a finger on my lips to shut me up.

I stared at him in bewilderment but was also half hopeful that what I wished he had in mind for years was actually about to happen. I blushed as Naruto smiled at me tenderly then hooked his finger underneath my chin and tilted my head up. My heart pounded so fast I thought it was going to break my ribs when Naruto's lips closed over mine and he passionately kissed me.

At first I was taken aback and I gently pulled away from from him. I looked into his blue eyes searching for answers but found that his eyes only read love.

_Love meant only for me!_ I realised and I smiled in happy triumph and returned his kiss, kinda urgently.

I wrapped my arms around Naruto's neck and started unzipping his black and orange jacket. I kissed very slowly down his neck and felt him shudder from pleasure. Grinning mischievously, I pushed Naruto down onto his back and straddled him whilst still kissing down his neck.

Suddenly, Naruto flipped us over so that I was lying on my back and he was hovering over my body with his, balancing most of his weight on his hands. Giggling, I pulled gently on the jade green necklace Lady Tsunade had given to him when he was thirteen and pulled him down again to kiss him. But Naruto stops after a few moments of making out and frowns down at me in a puzzlement. He rolls away and sits up with his back against the tree. I could see that something was bugging the hell out of him.

"What's eating you?" I asked him, sitting up and frowning. Both because he had broken off the embrace so abruptly just as I was enjoying it, and at his distracted expression. Naruto smiles sweetly at me and takes my outstretched hand in his.

"Sorry, Akima. It's just, it seemed like you really knew what you were doing when we were making out just now." I settled myself back down in the space between Naruto's legs and he wrapped his arms automatically around me as I tried to decipher his random observation. I was not prepared for what Naruto asked me next.

"You've had a boyfriend before me haven't you?" he asked, curiously. I nodded, slightly taken back by his direct question. Naruto winced.

"Do I know him? Just so I know who to avoid when we get back to the village." I laughed, kissing his cheek.

"Yeah, you know him. But don't worry, I've threatened to castrate him if he laid a hand on any boyfriends I might've had after he and I had split up."

Naruto flinched and covered his groin with his hand.

"Nice threat. But seriously, who is he?" I chewed my lip before answering my new boyfriend's question, hesitantly.

"Gaara."

I held my breath as I waited to see Naruto's reaction. But was surprised when he didn't react the way I had fully expected him to.

"Aww, man! Even he's had more action than I have." he whined. I rolled my eyes and decided to ignore his typical response. At least for awhile.  
But after a few moments, Naruto decided to learn more about my previous relationship.

"Why Gaara?" I smiled at the memory.

"I have no idea, it was kinda weird. But I guess an acceptable reason would be that he was there for me when I really need somebody to comfort me. But that was two years ago – back when Sasuke split after beating the crap outta you, breaking Sakura's heart and put a strain on my relationship with him."

"What happened?" Naruto asked, curiously.

I turned to look at him with a freaked out expression on my face. Normally boys tried to avoid this kind of conversation.

"It's a long story. How much time have you got?" Hoping that Naruto's sudden curiosity was just him being polite. Apparently, I was wrong.

"What are we doing at the moment?" Naruto pointed out. I sighed.

"Touche." I shrugged. I didn't mind telling Naruto my love life, since he had been a large chunk of my secret hopes and wishes for several years.

"It kinda started a few weeks after Kakashi returned with you badly wounded in his arms after that fight you had with Sasuke."

I deliberately chose not to tell him that I happened to be there during his showdown with Sasuke at the falls.

"You, Sakura and I decided to have private tutoring with separate teachers. I found out that you were going to train with Master Jiraiya and that Sakura was going to train under Lady Tsunade as her apprentice to become a medical ninja." Naruto nodded to show he was following what I was saying.

"I went to Lady Tsunade before she started devoting her time between her busy schedule as the Hokage and training Sakura, and asked if it would be possible to be privately tutored as well. My request was granted when I was assigned to be trained under Anko Mitarashi." Naruto's face jerked in shock.

"You're kidding? That psycho? No wonder your skills are the way they are! You're lucky you made it through the first training session." I nodded gravely.

"Believe me, I reacted the same way you did just now when I heard that she was training me."

Naruto shuddered as he remembered his memories of Anko. I smirked a little at this, something that Naruto noticed.

"What?" He asked, apprehensively. I pulled a kunai from my pack and balanced it sharp tip down on my index finger, while Naruto watched suspiciously.

"Anko told me that when she taught you she accidentally scratched your cheek with a kunai and licked your cheek to remove the blood..." I giggled at the horrified expression on Naruto's face.

"Yeah. Good times..." Naruto replied, unenthusiastically. I threw the kunai in the air and caught exactly the same way I did back when I was thirteen.

"But it turned out that Anko-sensai and I have something in common." I continued as I put the kunai back in my pack and zipped it up.  
Absently, I sucked away the blood on my finger as Naruto watched in disgust.

"What was it? Bloodthirstiness?" He asked, indicating the way I was tending to my pierced finger. I looked down at my finger and shook my head.

"Nah. Although she did tell me before my training finished that Sasuke and I were almost identical to her in skill though." Naruto nodded, scowling distastefully at Anko's opinion.

"But what we had in common was that we were both branded with the same curse mark called the 'cursed seal of heaven'. When my training had started, she hadn't been informed of this – so I was pretty much treated the same way as her previous students, until one day when I did something unusual. That was when she changed her tune."

Naruto smirked.

"What did you do?" He asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation and looking diabolical.

"Nothing evil, Naruto. If that's what you're thinking. But I was being insolent, which would piss off anyone and Anko retaliated by chucking a kunai at me while my back was turned. Somehow, I deflected it as easily as swatting a fly away." I laughed.

"Then what happened?" asked Naruto, eagerly.

"Akno just stared at me with this stunned look and then I blacked out. The next thing I knew I woke up and saw her staring down at me with a kind, but ambitious smile on her face. That freaked me out, considering what I already knew about her and her past, and I backed up big time. I asked her what happened and she told me that I had a powerful boost of chakra that I had just awoken, and that it tapped into the psychic, fire and sharingan chakra that I already possessed and gave me a serge in power that I couldn't control just yet. I learnt later on that I had unknowingly tapped into the curse mark on my neck. When I was threatened, I used it against her."

"Nice!" Naruto high-fived me.

I frowned at how he cheered when he thought Anko would get hurt.

"You really don't like her do you?" I asked. Naruto looked at me cynically.

"Did you miss me shudder?" I rolled my eyes, but understood his dislike.

"Long story, short. She and I got on well afterwards." Naruto gave me the thumbs up but added an extra serve of confusion on his face as well.

"That's a first. But what does this story have to do with Gaara?" he asked, patiently.

"Wow. You're really persistent." I said, dryly.

"It turned out my training didn't take too long to complete as I was an extremely fast learner. Anko was really impressed and suggested to Lady Tsunade that I was ready for a high ranked mission. Lady Tsunade granted this and I got assigned to an A-level mission to protect and escort some highly paid 'windbags' to a faraway village."

"Sweet." said Naruto. I smiled at him.

"Apparently the mission required more than one ability, so the Sand siblings were assigned to the mission as well. I was stuck with Gaara, Kankurō and Temari for the duration of the mission. But it wasn't all bad, I've always gotten on well with Temari." I said, grinning.

"Now we're getting down to it!" said Naruto, punching the air.

"One night, I was keeping watch and I was feeling homesick and missing my best friends. I was also missing Sasuke, who by now was probably with Orochimaru. Gaara came to take over the watch and he noticed that I had been crying. So he tried to comfort me. But at the time I thought he was a jerk – mostly because of the way he was acting during the chunnin exams – so I was hostile towards him and completely blew him off."

Naruto nodded.

"Understandable. Gaara does act like a total dick at times." explained Naruto. I nodded.

"But after working with him for awhile, I warmed up to him and that turned into friendship and later on he gave me my first kiss, and we started going out."

Naruto's face dropped like a stone. "Oh. I see."

I smiled, sympathetically at him. But he wanted to know. He could've stopped me at any time if he didn't like what I was telling him.

"Gaara is actually really nice when he's not threatened. But our relationship didn't last very long as I realised that I had stronger feelings for somebody else. Even Gaara could sense that, which was why he wasn't upset when I decided to break off our relationship a year later." Naruto had looked up when I had mentioned that I had stronger feelings for somebody else.

"Who?" he asked, I frowned at him.

"Who what?"

"Who did you have the strong feelings for?" he asked, hopefully. I chuckled at the adorable blonde ninja who blinked at me, waiting for my answer. I leaned over and kissed him.

"You, dummy!" I responded, pretending to be annoyed.

"When you returned from your training with Jiraiya (and got punched in the face yet again by Sakura), I was so excited. But then we got word that Gaara got kidnapped. I had to put my personal feelings for you aside so I could focus on helping you, Sakura, Kakashi, Team Guy, Kankurō and Temari save and rescue him."

"But it's definitely over between you?" Naruto was totally fixated on that fact. That was good enough for me. I nodded and grinned happily.

"You've been all that I've thought about for ages." I admitted. Naruto blinked at me in surprise.

"Ever since we first became friends, you've totally fascinated me – despite your annoying habits that sometimes deserved Sakura clonking you over the head for (Naruto pulled a face at this) – and you pretty much saved me from the next five years of complete boredom, before we enrolled at the Academy."

The bushes we were sitting behind suddenly rustled, snapping us out of our intimate moment.

"What the hell was that?" asked Naruto.

I crawled forward and pulling a kunai from my pack, inspected the surrounding bushes but could not find the source of the rustling. The only other explanation would be that the wind blew, disturbing the bush. I turned back to Naruto and shrugged.

"Dunno. That's weird." I checked one more time to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Still nothing.

"Where were we?" I asked, coming back over to Naruto and cuddled up to him. The leaves rustled more insistently this time and instantly Naruto and I sprang to our feet, kunai in hand and got into defensive positions.

"Who's there?" I called, all business. Beside me, Naruto had narrowed his eyes and was poised to attack at moment's notice. There was no response to my order. I tried again.

"Show yourself, now!" Still nothing happened. I looked over at Naruto who nodded and both of us edged closer to the bush and started looking for the enemy we presumed was there thinking all of this was a funny joke. Instead, I see a little boy of approximately five years lying unconscious on the ground. My face twisted in shock.

"Oh My God!"

Naruto turned and came over to me.

"What's wrong?" I waded my way through the bush towards the little boy, forgetting for a moment that we were in another memory again.

"Oh, crap." he said, as he saw the little boy. But I stopped when I realised how familiar the little boy was.

"Wait, Naruto! He looks familiar. What do you think?" Naruto takes a more careful look at the boy and gasps when he realises who the boy was.

"Hey! That's me."

"We must be in another memory. But whose memory is it?" I asked, out loud.

On cue, a twig snaps causing Naruto and I to spin around, excepting some weapon welding enemy. But instead, we saw a familiar little girl with black hair and bangs stepping through the foliage of an evergreen bush. Although, the little girl is more appropriately dressed for bed than a casual stroll through the woods.

I smiled, recognising who the little girl was and whose memory we were currently observing.

"That's me." I announced to Naruto who was frowning and trying to place where he recognised the little girl from.

"And this is my memory. I love this memory." Naruto frowned and sat down not very faraway from where the five year old Naruto was lying. The memory hadn't clicked for him just yet. I rolled my eyes and taking the hand he held out for me, sat down beside him.

We watched as five year old Akima approached the stirring five year old Naruto and sits down behind him, patiently waiting for him to sit up.  
Naruto, who had me in his arms suddenly looked like a light bulb lit up above his head.

"Oh wait! Now I remember. This is the day we first became friends." He grinned from ear to ear, happily.

"I love this memory too!"

Young Naruto sat up and rubbed his head unhappily as he recalled exactly what had happened to him. The last thing he remembered was two bullies picking on a girl with black hair and lavender coloured eyes. He had come over to defend her by summoning shadow clones, but because he hadn't learnt how to control this jutsu yet they were weak and kinda pathetic looking. Which, as a result, gave the bullies the opportunity to beat him up.

He remembered hearing a male adult's voice calling the girl's name:

_Hinata, wasn't it? _

And then that voice angrily telling 'Hinata' to stay away from him because he was cursed.

_Oh, great! Yet another person who doesn't like me. _

Young Naruto yawned dispiritedly and got to his feet. He turned and saw Young Akima staring at him owlishly. Instantly, he sprang away from her.

"Who are you?" he demanded. I watched as my younger self grinned at him weakly.

"My name's Akima Kimura. Did I scare you?" Young Naruto crosses his arms and scowls at her.

"No! I'm not scared of anything." Young Naruto appraises what Young Akima is wearing.

"Why are you dressed in pyjamas? Are you sleepwalking?"

Young Akima giggles at Young Naruto's comment. She shakes her head.

"No. At least I hope I'm not. I needed to go for a walk without my Aunt Mikoto, Uncle Fugaku and my cousins tagging along with me." Young Naruto frowns at the bitterness in her voice.

"What's wrong with that?" Young Akima realises how catty and ungrateful her comment sounded. She immediately backtracked, laughing slightly.

"Nothing. It's just sometimes it's really annoying. I feel like a baby when they do that." Young Naruto seemed to think that Young Akima was harmless as he had sat down on the ground again and scooted closer to her so that he could hear her soft voice more clearly.

"What's your name?" Young Akima asked. Young Naruto jabbed himself in the chest with his thumb as he grins somewhat obnoxiously at her.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" Young Akima giggles appreciatively at Young Naruto's loud and boisterous mannerisms. Although, the older Akima seemed to think her boyfriend ought to have toned it down a notch. I believed that Naruto shouldn't have had to be overly enthusiastic when he was growing up just to gain friends. If people had gotten to know him, instead of seeing the fox demon they would've seen the kind, innocent if somewhat obnoxious at times little boy he had been.

"You're funny!" Young Akima's words startled him a bit and he perked up. But then Young Naruto's face dropped sadly as he remembered his predicament.

"The villagers don't think so."

Young Akima's face drops in astonishment. "Why?"

Young Naruto put his face into his hands as the bad memories of a life of loneliness and shunning washed over him.

"You tell me. I don't know why they don't like me. They think something's wrong with me."

Young Akima pointed over at where he had been lying and then at the large bruise forming on his cheek.

"Is that why you were lying on the ground like that? Did they hurt you?" Young Naruto scowled.

"No. Some bullies did this to me after I tried to help this girl with weird purple eyes. They called me 'that cursed boy'. Then this older man stumbled out of the wood and took the little girl away saying for her to stay away from me."

Young Akima looked upset about this and a flicker of red flashed in her eyes before she stumbled slightly and looked a little afraid after it happened. Young Naruto didn't notice this.

"I used my curse mark again. Did you see that?" I asked Naruto, who nodded.

"You must use it when you get pissed off." observed Naruto, as Young Akima got up and went over to Young Naruto and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I don't think you're weird or cursed." Young Naruto looked up at her. Surprise and hope were in his blue eyes.

"You don't?" he asked, dubiously.

Young Akima shook her head firmly.

"No. You seem normal to me." And she smiled sweetly at him. I turned my head and kissed Naruto softly on his cheek.

"I still mean that by the way. Despite knowing you're a jinchūriki, which I don't have a problem with because I've dated one before." Naruto smiled at me.

"Thanks!" shouted Young Naruto, a huge grin on his face. Naruto hooked a thumb in the direction of his younger self.

"What he said."

Young Akima suddenly yawned and stretched to the point that her purple dressing gown fell off her shoulder and revealed the dressing previously seen in Sasuke's memory (of which the 'cursed seal of heaven' curse mark was) on her neck which Young Naruto instantly notices.

"Ouch! How'd ya do that?" Young Akima reaches up to her neck and feels the dressing there. Young Akima smiles innocently and shrugs.

"I don't remember. It was there when I woke up."

Naruto turns to me incredulously.

"You're telling me that this memory happened after Orochimaru attacked you?" I nodded, which sends Naruto off the deep end.

"Naruto, calm down. This is the 'happy hour'. 'Angry, pissed off hour' isn't for a couple of hours." I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Naruto, sensing me shutting down completely about the topic, took a couple a deep breaths to calm himself down just as younger me started speaking again.

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Naruto?"

Young Naruto pretended to seriously thinking about his answer before finally getting to his feet, grinning somewhat obnoxiously and yet again jabbing himself in the chest.

"I'm gonna be Hokage and the greatest ninja in the world!"

Young Akima beams up at her new friend.

"Yay! That sounds so cool!" This comment caused Young Naruto to blush, but Young Akima doesn't notice this because she had started to yawn again. She gets to her feet and Young Naruto's face falls when he realises what she's about to do.

"I need to go home now."

Young Naruto nodded sadly and watches as Young Akima turns and walks off towards the Uchiha household, but yells out in pain when Orochimaru's curse mark flares up and temporarily cripples Young Akima as she topples to the ground, freaking out Young Naruto. I could feel Naruto starting to shake again, but I took his hand and started stroking it in a calm, soothing way.

Young Naruto comes over to Young Akima and helps her into a seated position, allowing the cowering little girl to lean on him for support.

"Are you okay?" Young Naruto asks. Young Akima shakes her head no. She is understandably scared because she doesn't know what's going on and has started to cry.

"I want to go home." she sobbed.

Young Naruto looks around helplessly looking for another person to help, but realised that if he tried looking for help any person he might find would probably accuse him of hurting Young Akima. Instead, he smiled sympathetically at Young Akima and tries to comfort her by giving her a hug.

"It's okay. I'll look after you." Young Naruto soothed kindly and helps Young Akima to her feet, but she instantly topples over. Thinking quickly, Young Naruto assists Young Akima onto his back and stands up supporting her weight.

"Hold on tight, Akima. I'm gonna take you home." Naruto turns to the bush Young Akima had appeared from, but realised that he had been unconscious when she had actually appeared.

"Uh... which way to your house?"

Young Akima giggled weakly and raised a shaky arm to point towards where Young Naruto needed to go. Naruto and I stood up and ran after the ambitious blonde ninja-to-be. We ended up outside the backdoor of the Uchiha household and Naruto and I watched as Young Naruto helped Young Akima off his back and guided her towards the back door.

"Thanks, Naruto!" said Young Akima, weakly. Young Naruto smiles for a split second before returning to unhappiness.

"You're welcome." he muttered and turned to return to the wood.  
But Young Akima unexpectedly stops him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto!" Young Naruto almost trips over his own feet. He turns and looks at Young Akima with wide, shocked blue eyes.

"You will? Why?" He comes back to where Young Akima is standing. Young Akima takes Young Naruto's hand in hers.

"Because you're my friend, silly!" Young Akima giggled at the shocked expression on Young Naruto's face. He almost smiles but thinks that this is a set up for a painful let down.

"I've never had a friend before." He admitted. Young Akima yawns, this time longer than usual before speaking to Young Naruto again.

"Well, now you do! See ya tomorrow!"

She waves and slowly and with difficulty slides the bamboo wood door closed. The memory fades away.

* * *

When I was growing up after my parents' murder, I became cloistered by my Aunt Mikoto and Uncle Fugaku, who became very protective of me after learning what Orochimaru had done to my parents and the plans for me that he hoped to make a reality someday. From that day I first came to live with my family, I never went anywhere without an escort, which was usually either Sasuke, Itachi or both.

I am the niece of the patriarch of one of the famous founding families of Konohagakure, and the Uchiha's were not only well respected and popular, but also extremely powerful and the creators of the powerful Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. When Sasuke and I were finally old enough to attend the Academy to become trained ninjas, Aunt Mikoto and Uncle Fugaku made us adhere to strict rules regarding homework and having responsibilities for not only our actions, but also the way people viewed us.

I hated this, and to a point so did Sasuke.

However, it all proved to have paid off because both of us became exceptionally fast learners as I had previously explained during my Anko-sensai story and both of us were very intelligent.

"I wanted to break free and to stop being constantly protected against something I had no memory of. And when we became best friends, it was probably the first time I ever felt free and was allowed to experience things for myself. I wanna thank you for that." I explained to Naruto, who looked touched.

He stepped away from the tree we had been leaning up against and pulls me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head affectionately.

"What was that for?" I asked, pleasantly surprised. Naruto pulled back from the hug and looked me directly in the eyes as he answered.

"Because I'm grateful. You became my very first friend that day." I grinned.

"Yeah. And then you got Master Jiraiya and then Sasuke and Sakura." I added to the list of friends he got after me. Naruto chuckled at the mention of Yiraiya's name.

"Yeah. Ha ha! Pervy Sage..." I playfully smacked him.

"You know, that's not very nice, Naruto." I pretended to be cross with him but then I smiled fondly at him and Naruto happily kissed me again. Both of us safe and happy in this little private memory.

Suddenly...

"Oh. My. God. I think I'm gonna hurl!"


	9. Not Quite Paradise

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**NOT QUITE PARADISE**

Naruto and I pulled away instantly and turned to see Sasuke standing there with a revolted expression on his face. I scowled angrily at my cousin.

"Sasuke!" I stepped away from Naruto, who was glaring at Sasuke too, and went over to confront Sasuke. However, before I could actually do this Sasuke cleared the space between him and Naruto and slammed his fist into his face, catching Naruto off guard as he hit the deck hard and spat out a curse.

"Hey!" I shouted and came over to Sasuke shoving him away from Naruto angrily.

"What the hell is your problem?" I snapped at my cousin who was looking at me incredulously.

"He didn't do anything wrong, you loon."

Sasuke looked down at Naruto with the overprotective cousin glare and looked like he was about to attack him again, but I reached out my hand to Naruto and helped him sit up. I crouched beside him and watched as Naruto wiped blood away from his mouth and glared corrosively at Sasuke, who reached out and pulled me over to him with an accusing look in his ebony eyes. I broke the hold he had on my wrist.

"I can't believe you were kissing that idiot!" He snapped at me, equally as angry as I was. I scoffed.

"So? As I recall you did too!" I retorted, smirking sardonically at him.

"Or have you forgotten this?" I watched in amusement as both Naruto and Sasuke flushed purple as they were forced to relive that day when they accidentally kissed each other. Naruto struggled to his feet and turned to me with a martyred expression on his face.

"Aw... Akima, did you have to bring that up?" He complained, but I simply ignored him as I continued tearing Sasuke a new asshole.

"What gives you the right to meddle in what I do anyway? As of two years ago, you lost that right, the day you left Konoha!" Sasuke's face jerked in shock.

"I have every right to protect my cousin from harm!" Naruto reacted at that, thinking that comment was directed towards him.

"What sort of crack is that!" he snarled, but Sasuke and I continued to ignore him. I knew that Sasuke wasn't talking about Naruto harming me. He was referring to Orochimaru's attack on me. I sighed and I stopped frowning at Sasuke in annoyance. I smiled slightly at him.

"You don't need to protect me anymore, Sasuke. I'm stronger than I was back then. Or have you forgotten that?"

Sasuke sighed in exasperation, shaking his head as he massaged his temple.

"I've neither forgotten, nor care whether or not you do or do not require protection. You scared both my parents and I half to death that day when you weren't in your bed. We thought Orochimaru had taken you!" Suddenly, the memory around us shifted and refocused on an area blanketed in mist. I frowned uncertainly.

"Sasuke, where have you taken us?"

Children's laughter grabs our attention and Naruto, Sasuke and I run towards the laughter and found ourselves standing in the Uchiha courtyard.

"Catch me if you can!" a little boy's voice rings out from behind the mist. A little girl answers his confident, but cocky call.

"You know that I can!"

We could suddenly hear the children running. Quickly, we follow the voices.

"Almost got me! Nice try." calls out the little boy and we hear the girl snarl with frustration.

"No fair! You're faster than I am!" then somebody falls heavily to the ground with an "ooof!"

The little boy sounded alarmed as he rushed over to the little girl's side.

"Akima!"

Naruto jerks his head to look over at his girlfriend in confusion.

"Akima?"

The fog dissipates and instantly the three of us see Young Sasuke helping Young Akima to her feet. It must have been several months since Young Akima's encounter and beginning of friendship with Young Naruto, because Young Akima was not dressed in pyjamas and slippers. She was attired in an outfit similar to what her thirteen year old self would be wearing as a Genin ninja. This hinted that Young Akima was stronger and healthier than she had been. Young Sasuke looked at his cousin worriedly.

"Are you okay?" Young Akima smirked cheekily and poked her tongue out at Young Sasuke.

"Yeah. I was faking it!" She tags an astonished Young Sasuke on the arm and darts off faster than a rabbit. Young Sasuke immediately reacts to this.

"Hey! Bad form!" and tears off after her as she giggles with glee, desperately trying to evade him because of his impressive speed.

"Nobody said life was fair, Sasuke!" Young Akima yelled out, innocently.

All three of us winced at my words. But how were we supposed to know all the bad things were going to happen to us in the future? It's wasn't like I had doomed us all by saying the comment. We watched Young Sasuke and Young Akima play up until Aunt Mikoto poked her head out of a nearby door and surveyed us with a fond smile before announcing that it was now dinner time.

Young Sasuke and Young Akima giggled and tore inside the house, causing my Aunt to dodge us exasperatedly.

This memory was an example how innocent and happy Sasuke and I were before Itachi stole our childhood from us by killing his parents. And before Orochimaru poisoned not only me, but poisoned and corrupted Sasuke as well. I turned back to Sasuke, but refused to look him in the eyes. Sasuke came over and stood close to me, but didn't touch me.

"Akima, you're my best friend. You think I was overjoyed to think Orochimaru had done what he did to me to you? I was pissed! You gotta know that no matter what happens to me in the future, you're always gonna be the main thing I think about. I love you, kid!"

That did it. I looked up into Sasuke's face which was still stern from years of suffering and grief. But he had tears in his eyes and a small smile on his face. I felt ashamed of my actions and I felt my tears fall down my face.

"...I didn't mean to. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Sasuke..." I hugged myself and started to drop to my knees. All my anger towards Sasuke for his possible future vanished without a trace. Naruto started to come over to me but was stopped by Sakura who chose that moment to appear.

"Let Sasuke comfort her, Naruto. It's their moment." explained Sakura, in a small voice as she saw how broken Sasuke and I were.

"Oh, Akima..." soothed Sasuke, who folded me up in his arms and held me as I heaved and shook, crying into his loose fitting white shirt.

The moment would've been a tender one, if it hadn't been for inhuman laughter that suddenly echoed everywhere. I frowned through the tears and looked at Sasuke who was also frowning. Both of us looked up at Naruto and Sakura who were looking around frantically.

"Oh shit! Orochimaru!" Sasuke suddenly said and stood up, pulling me with him. But instantly caught me again as excruciating pain burned with a vengeance on the back of my neck. I screamed in anguish and clutched my neck.

"NO!" bellows Sasuke and dropped to my side as I curled up into the foetal position, trying to cling to consciousness and digging my fingernails into the earth. Sakura dropped to my other side and tried to soothe me by smoothing back my fringe and whispering comforting thoughts.

"You're okay, Akima! You'll be okay!" Sakura promised me. Naruto stood protectively in front of us, baring his teeth and staring uselessly around for Orochimaru.

"Stop it! Stop it now, Orochimaru!" roared Naruto. To everybody's astonishment Orochimaru complied and Naruto was so taken aback by how fast Orochimaru heeded his order that he forgot to be furious.

"Okay. That worked... somehow?" Naruto muttered, dubiously.

I moaned from the pain and struggled to sit up, causing Naruto to spin around and immediately drop to his knees in front of me, cupping both my cheeks with his hands.

"Akima! Easy, careful!" Naruto urged, as I allowed Sakura to help me to my feet. Getting my bearings, my eyes suddenly shut and I started shaking violently.

"Akima! What's wrong?" asked a hysterical Sakura, who still had her arm slung supportively around my waist and was still holding onto my elbow. Sasuke came forward recognising the symptoms.

"She's getting another premonition." He said, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Honey, what do you see?"

I stopped shaking and focused on something over Sasuke's left shoulder. Sasuke gasped as he saw my sharingans appear in my eyes. This only happened when I was in a murderous mood.

"No! I won't let you take them away from me! They're everything to me! You can't have them!" I bellowed, confusing my team mates. Feeling impossible strength flowing through my veins I harshly shook off Sakura's helping hands and charged off through the woods.

"Akima! Wait!" I heard Naruto shouting behind me. The three shinobi look at my retreating figure as they rose to their feet and rushed after me. They followed me past memory after memory until they found themselves standing where we first started our journey down memory lane: the four stumps.

"What are we doing here?" queried Sakura in a breathless voice. Sasuke was busy scanning the area around him looking for me, but he still managed to answer Sakura's question with a hint of desperate annoyance laced in his words.

"Why are you asking me? I didn't bring us here!" he snapped. Naruto was bouncing around like a rubber bouncy ball. But even he was getting fed up with the obvious questions.

"Hey guys! Stop fighting amongst yourselves and look for Akima!" But they didn't have to look around for very long as the sounds of approaching ninjas helped them find me perched on a nearby stump and waiting impatiently for something. Naruto called out to me.

"Akima, what are you doing?" he yelled.

But then the sounds of a tree trunk cracking and falling was heard and four heads snapped towards a tree that was falling directly into the path of Young Sakura and Young Naruto who were bickering over Young Naruto's poor ability to sense and find Kakashi who had obviously set them a task.

By the looks of it, it was the bell test. A large shadow appeared above the two of them, rapidly growing bigger – causing the young ninjas to stop arguing and look up. When they saw the danger they were in they started screaming.

"LOOK OUT!" bellowed Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke who watched in horror. The tree landed with a crashing boom, causing people to fear the worst.

"Akima! Where are you!" yelled Naruto.

"There she is!" shouted Sakura, pointing at a space not too far from where the tree had fallen. I had appeared out of nowhere and plucked a completely petrified Young Sakura and Young Naruto out of harms way. Young Sakura was crying on my shoulder and Young Naruto had my hand caught in an iron grip, shaking like a leaf.

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" squeals Young Sakura in my ear. I flinched and comforted her by patting her on the back soothingly.

"Shh! You're okay. You're okay..." I collapsed onto my back, sending Young Sakura into hysterics and freaking out Young Naruto, who looked at me in horror.

"Miss! Miss! Oh My God! Are you alright?" exclaimed Young Sakura. I groaned in reply. Naruto rushed forward and crouched beside me, pulling me up into a seated position and allowing me to lean against his chest for support.

"Akima? Akima?" Naruto gently shook me to help me focus. Young Naruto frowned at his older counterpart and places his hand on older Naruto's shoulder.

"Akima? But she's over there with Sasuke..." Naruto raises his tear-streaked eyes and follows where Young Naruto was pointing and sees Young Sasuke and Young Akima watching them with bemused horror. Naruto doesn't even flinch when a sharp kunai appears at his throat. I opened my eyes and saw Kakashi standing there glaring at Naruto.

"Who are you? What are you doing with my students?" Kakashi demanded.

It was extremely rare to see Kakashi this mad. But not at all rare to see Kakashi look freaked out. Which was what happened when Naruto raised his head and stared pleadingly with his former Sensai. Kakashi gasped and almost drops his kunai. Suddenly, an all too familiar katana sword levelled itself with Kakashi's throat. The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Sasuke threatening Kakashi, which both stunned and impressed Young Sasuke.

"Lower your weapon, Kakashi. He means no harm-" But Sasuke couldn't finish his threat because the vision was wearing off.  
I had finally blacked out in Naruto's arms.

* * *

I regained consciousness back in the destroyed corridor, where I had dust and small bits of debris blowing directly into my face. I groaned, and sat up unsteadily. Sai and Yamato came over at that moment.

"Akima! You're back. Are you okay?" I could sense Sasuke before he even spoke and I looked up at where he was standing, the cold leer back on his face like before he went into the vision with us.

"She's fine. Sharighan visions drain you for a few moments after waking up."

"Sasuke. I knew it was too good to be true." I struggled to my feet, using Yamato as support. But when I found my bearings and shrugged off his helping hands. I collapsed to the floor again.

"Save your strength, Akima. You're going to need it." said Sasuke, coldly. As I sat awkwardly on the ground, breathing heavily and glaring up at Sasuke.  
Naruto and Sakura started to awaken.

"Oh! What happened?" Sakura rubbed her head.

"Where am I?" asked Naruto, who was shaking his head to focus properly. Sasuke answered his question for him, as I glanced wearily over my shoulder at the two of them.

"You're right where you were before Akima took us back to the past, Naruto." I watched Naruto's face twist in shock and then focused on my face.

"Akima!" I struggled to take in a breath as Sakura beats Naruto to me and allows me to lean against her. Naruto glares up at Sasuke who is trying and failing dismally to stop looking concerned for me so he could fool Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"What did you do to her, Sasuke!" But before Sasuke could actually reply to Naruto's unfair assumption, I stepped in to explain.

"Sasuke...hasn't...done...anything...Naruto." I said in between breaths. Then the pain increased, causing me to scream. Sakura panicked.

"Akima!"

Then she and Naruto get thrown aside like a couple of ragdolls by an unknown force. The same control overpowers me before I could escape and pulls me to my feet. Sasuke looks horrified by what is happening to me and for an instant he is acting like the long-lost cousin I had missed the day his parents were murdered. I looked up and found myself staring into the eyes of hell on earth: Orochimaru. I resisted the urge to projectile vomit as Orochimaru stares down at me and suddenly grins, licking his lips obscenely with his purple tongue.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Orochimaru asks nobody in particular. Naruto rushes forward to bravely shield me but is blocked by an invisible barrier. Yamato and Sai are in the same position as him.

"Don't touch her!" Naruto snarled dangerously. Orochimaru barely acknowledges Naruto except to growl at him.

"Silence, you silly boy!" I glared corrosively at Orochimaru, wishing I could move my arms.

"YOU!" I snarled like a lioness. Orochimaru smiled widely.

"Me. I'm glad you recognise me, my love. It's been awhile." I scoffed, bitterly.

"Recognise you? Your face will be permanently tattooed in my mind for the rest of my life as a reminder of the revenge I will inflict on you for the murder of my parents in cold blood!"

Orochimaru pouted and had the arrogance of looking like my words had stung him.

"Oh, come come now. That's a bit harsh, isn't it?" He tutted at me. I struggled uselessly against my invisible bonds.

"You ain't seen nothing yet. Snake boy!" I spat. Kabuto's eyes flashed at my words.

"How dare you speak to Lord Orochimaru like that!" But Orochimaru held up a hand at his minion who was surprised.

"It's alright, Kabuto. It's natural for most relationships to start out hostile." I stared at Orochimaru incredulously.

"What relationship! I told you, I don't want anything to do with you!" Orochimaru lazily waves a hand and I'm instantly silenced.

He slowly approaches me and for a split second I realised I could move my arm – which then I instantly went to strike Orochimaru across the face. But the criminal blocked the movement by grabbing my wrist in an iron grip as he chuckled deep within his throat. Then he slowly started to rotate my wrist, causing me to wince openly and causing Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke pain as they helplessly watched from the sidelines. Orochimaru's cold gaze flicked over my face and settled on my lips and instantly I knew what he planned on doing next. I struggled uselessly as Orochimaru suddenly said:

"Let's see if this will change your mind..." and his cold, slimy lips closed over mine causing me to gag horribly. Naruto snarled angrily and Sakura tried to rush forward to my aid but like Naruto was stopped in her tracks by the invisible barrier. She started pounding desperately on the barrier with her fists.

"STOP IT!" snarled Naruto, already starting to morph into his fox-demon form. Sakura looked pleadingly at Sasuke who was trying to decide if he should help me or save face in front of an already suspicious Kabuto.

"Akima! Sasuke, do something! She's your cousin, whom you claim to love!" Angry tears of frustration started falling down my face as Sasuke finally came up with a plan that would throw both Orochimaru and Kabuto off the scent. But I knew that this was going to be the only time that he would help his former teammates. And frankly, that was good enough for me.

_**Akima, bite his tongue. Quickly! I'll catch you!**_

Sasuke thought telepathically to me. Wasting no time, I instantly bit down on Orochimaru's tongue and he released me with a yell of pain. I fell and landed heavily in Sasuke's arms. Naruto and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, but were faced with another dilemma: was Sasuke saving their butts or his? Sasuke grabbed my arms with one of his hands and pulled them painfully behind my back, while grabbing a fistful of my hair with his other hand. Something wet and salty was in my mouth.

_**Sasuke. I have to spit. I've Orochimaru's blood in my mouth... **_Sasuke shuddered at the very thought.

_**God, that's sick! Step down on my foot and I'll release you for a split second so you can spit! **_I stepped down hard on Sasuke's foot and he yelled in pain, releasing my hair and I turned my head and spat out my mouthful of Orochimaru's blood.

"Yuck!" shouted Naruto, turning green.

"Oh My God!" yelled Sakura.

Sasuke now has me completely restrained against his body. However, he has my head angled towards his mouth so he could whisper in my ear without Orochimaru or Kabuto noticing.

_**Thanks! **_ I said, telepathically.

Orochimaru wiped his mouth clean of his own blood as he glares at me for the assault. But then cracked an evil smile at me. I frowned, warily.

"Hmmm. It seems I have my answer, and it's not what I expected. Shame, we barely even got to know each other. It would have been wonderful to add you to my collection." He looked affectionately at Sasuke behind me and I felt Sasuke shudder as Orochimaru gave him his orders.

"Do what you wish, Sasuke." said Orochimaru, and returns to his place on the lip of the crater Sasuke had made. A few moments passed and suddenly I felt Sasuke taking one of my hands behind my back in his.

"Do your worst, Sasuke." I said, sourly and waited for the pain to come. But was surprised when instead, I heard Sasuke sobbing into my hair. My eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" I whispered. Sasuke squeezed my hand and I responded when I realised that the last thing Sasuke wanted to do was kill me.

"Shhh! Sasuke, it's alright. We'll think of something." I soothed. But Sasuke tugged painfully on my arm so that I winced.

"Akima, please listen to me. I need to have a longer talk with you, but not here. Not in front of Orochimaru. In a moment, I will have to deal with you. So this is what I'm going to do-"

"What is the freaking hold up?" snapped Kabuto, who was standing impatiently beside Orochimaru who had completely lost interest in what was happening. Sasuke glanced up at Kabuto and flashed his sharingan at him which delivered a painful genjutsu at Kabuto who started writhing in agony. Then he turned back to me.

"I'm listening. What did you have in mind?" I whispered, albeit somewhat hesitantly.

"I'm afraid it's going to hurt." Sasuke promised with some remorse he wouldn't have dared shown or said to anyone else. I shrugged with difficulty.

"As long as we can get out of this without Orochimaru getting suspicious, I don't really care. What is your plan?"

"I'm going to stab you in the stomach. Not too much to kill you. But just enough to wound you." I gulped at the painful prospect. But I knew that what he was going to do wasn't going to tickle no matter how he attempted it. And Sasuke wasn't the type to deal out easy deaths.

"Alright. Do what you have to do. But just realise that Naruto and Sakura will want your ass for doing this." I could picture Sasuke rolling his eyes right now.

"You can let them know that this is just a ruse. I really don't give a fuck what they think of me for doing this." he replied carelessly. I took a deep breath, knowing what strife I was going to be in for, for the next two or so days and turned my head to peck Sasuke on the cheek.

"I'll wait for you to contact me, when it's safe." I said, tears falling down my face. I heard Sasuke sobbing and heaving before answering me.

"Good-bye for now, Akima. And I'm sorry..." I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the critical blow.

* * *

I was correct. It was excruciatingly painful: both having to accept the fact that it was Sasuke delivering this blow, and actually feeling Sasuke's sword piercing the soft flesh of my abdomen. But there was something good that came out of this. Before Sasuke stabbed me, he returned the kiss I had given him.

I screamed in exquisite pain and felt my knees buckle as I gagged, dropped to my knees and pitched forward flat on my face like a puppet with its strings cut. I heard the metallic strapping of metal as Sasuke returned his sword to the scabbard.

"I'm so sorry." he repeated and then he returned to his master's side. I heard several things at once after Sasuke went back to Orochimaru's side. First, was the heartwrenching sounds of Naruto, Sakura, Sai and Yamato screaming out my name in horror and outrage. Then, Kabuto saying:

"Finally! Geez, took you long enough, Sasuke."

It was clear he hadn't learned from the last time and I was cheering enthusiastically when he suddenly yelled out in pain and the sounds of somebody hitting the deck, hard. Sasuke had obviously punched Kabuto in his insensitive mouth.

* * *

Suddenly, I was in Sasuke's head looking down at the scene before me and hearing his thoughts. Below us was the crumpled body of myself lying face down in the dust. Naruto and his team were still frantically trying to fight the barrier get to me. Sasuke's mouth turned down into a scowl.

_Oh, Akima... _We felt someone's hand descending on our shoulder and we turned our head slightly to see Orochimaru with an evil grin on his pedo face.

_Get your hands off me, you creepy freak! _

"Excellent work, Sasuke. Didn't know you had it in you." We tensed up, but resisted the urge to lash out and deck the man beside us.

_He's teaching me the skills I need to kill Itachi... _ We reminded ourselves. On our other side, Kabuto had just gotten to his feet and was nursing a bloody nose. We smirked at this and chuckled.

"Dlad, do find dis iz funny, Saswke." snarled Kabuto, pinching the bridge of his nose and proceeded to heal it with his medical ninjutsu. Naruto's outraged voice attracted us and we looked down to coldly address him.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" promised Naruto, shaking violently.

We sneered at his pathetic promise.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Naruto." Orochimaru glanced at us and indicated that it was time to escape. We turned back to the five people down below and watched as they faded from view.

* * *

I returned to my body, after silently saying goodbye to Sasuke. I was vaguely aware that I was already cradled in somebody's arms.  
Something wet was dripping on my face and something hot and painful was bubbling in my abdomen. My first thought to the wet something on my face was Naruto.

"Naruto..." I croaked. I started shaking in agony. A hand caresses my face.

"I'm here. I'm right here!" I opened my eyes and saw Naruto's anguished face looking down at me. The hot, painful sensation was Sakura, healing the worst of my abdomen with her medical ninjutsu. Yamato was simultaneously inspecting the wound as well.

"She needs immediate medical attention right away. Sakura, can she be moved?"  
Sakura shook her head, distractedly answering Yamato's question.

"In a few minutes. I'm trying to stop the worst of the bleeding." Naruto shook his head in disbelief.

"That move was low, even for Sasuke's standards." Sakura nodded. But I intervened.

"It was a ruse. Sasuke only did it to throw Orochimaru off the scent." Everybody looked at me dubiously.

"You sure?" Sakura answered, sceptism thick in her voice. I scowled irritatedly at her.

"He was whispering to me the whole time. And why would he try to kill somebody from his own family who wasn't Itachi?" I winced as Sakura did something to finalise her healing. Sakura rose to her feet and stepped back a bit as she put her gloves back on.

"It's a good point, I guess." Sakura agreed, but there was still some doubt towards my theory. Yamato scooped my body into his arms and got to his feet.

"C'mon! Help me put her on my back. I'll carry her to Konoha." Naruto immediately stopped him.

"No! I'll carry her!" Yamato frowned slightly at Naruto's demanding tone but nevertheless complied with his request.

"Alright then."

Naruto turns around and Yamato carefully places me comfortably on Naruto's back. I hooked my legs instinctively around Naruto's waist and clung gratefully to his shoulders. Immediately, I yawned and pressed my face into Naruto's neck.

"That's right, honey. Go to sleep. We'll be home soon."

I tilted my head up and kissed the back of Naruto's neck in thanks then shut my eyes. But I didn't immediately fall asleep.

"Alright! Now how do we get out of here?" asked Sakura.

"This way. Follow me!" commanded Yamato and I heard the sounds of retreating feet. Suddenly, the wind was rushing past my head at an incredible rate. I groaned in discomfort.

"Don't worry, Akima. Everything will be alright." Naruto whispered.

_We could live in hope, can't we? _


	10. Return to Konoha

**DISCLAIMER:  
**I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**RETURN TO KONOHA**

It took exactly what I predicted to get back to Konoha. We stopped only to sleep and eat for the entire two days and by the end of the trip we were either fed up and needed a long uninterrupted rest or were in pain and needed immediate medical assistance. We were about a mile away from the village when we spotted by a group of guard shinobi who yelled out in relief and sprinted forward to greet us. Or more specifically, Yamato as he was our leader.

"You're back! Thank god!"

Now you have to remember that I was half-conscious when this occurred so I'm not entirely sure that I have the reactions right. But I vaguely remembered that the guard shinobi who addressed Yamato had seen me 'unconscious' on Naruto's back and reacted as anybody would – with shock and panic.

"What happened to her?" he demanded.

I felt somebody's gloved hand touch my face, and Naruto shifted my dead weight on his back as Yamato answered the guard's question.

"Akima was stabbed in the stomach by Sasuke Uchiha." he said, gravely.

"He did what?" said the guard, enraged. I stirred from my sleep and moaned softly. Naruto noticed this and whispered to me.

"Akima?"

I turned my head and tried to make myself comfortable again.

"What's going on? Where are we?" I mumbled. Naruto shifted again. He was getting tired. "We're home, Akima. Just hold on."

I yawned as the guard spoke again. "The Hokage needs to be informed. In the meantime, we need to take Akima to the Hospital..."

_Uh, oh..._

The guards accompanying the first one came 'round to Naruto and proceeded to take me off Naruto's back. Thankfully, Naruto stepped away from them. Sakura sighed tiredly and approached Naruto, gently talking to him.

"C'mon, Naruto. Give Akima to the guards." I raised my head then, alerting everyone except Naruto for obvious reasons that I was awake and alert.

"Let Naruto take me..." I mumbled groggily. Sakura appeared in my face using the same voice she used on Naruto before.

"But Akima, you're badly wounded. Let a professional medical ninja take care of this." I stubbornly tightened my hold on Naruto's shoulders. Naruto winced slightly from the tightness.

"I don't care. Naruto's taking me. That's that!" I answered and buried my face into Naruto's back. Sakura sighed and looked at the guard shinobi who had fixed Naruto and I with a complexed look before realising why we were resisting and they smiled understandingly and complied with my wishes.

Naruto and a handful of guards escorted me to the Konoha hospital at a brisk pace. They were relieved when they reached the hospital and nothing bad had happened. But the moment they stepped through the entrance, pain ripped through my neck once more and I screamed out in both panic and pain. Naruto and the guards reacted in horror.

"Oh God! Hold on, Akima!" urged Naruto. I felt Naruto carefully shift my body from his back to be carried out front in his arms.

Then he, the guards and a bunch of white kimono clad ninja gasped in horror when they saw an unfortunate sight. The front of my purple shirt which at the time of the attack had only a small red stain on the front had swelled dramatically to a larger red stain and looked incredibly gruesome. Naruto immediately deposited me into the arms of the nearest medical ninja.

"No! Wait, Naruto!" I protested and arched away from the ninja holding me, who immediately turned and rushed away, going on red alert. Naruto watched harassed as I was taken in to be treated and he turned and walked outside of the hospital to wait for Sakura.

Although instead he was greeted by fellow classmates: Ino Yamanaka, Kiba Inuzuka and his best friend and dog, Akamaru whom Kiba was riding like a horse, Neji Hyuūga and Shikamaru Nara who had just seen Naruto taking me in, escorted by a group of highly stressed out guard ninja.

"Naruto! You're back!" greeted Ino, who then saw the worried, angry expression on Naruto's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, placing a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder which he gently shook off. Shikamaru approached Naruto with his hands buried deep in his pockets.

"Where's Sakura and Akima?" Naruto pointed towards the village gates as he replied.

"Sakura is back at the gate with Sai talking with Yamato and one of the guard ninja about our mission. But Akima is in there." He hooked a thumb over his shoulder at the Hospital behind them.

"What? Why?" asked Ino, concerned. Naruto stared at his friends with a weary expression before answering.

"Sasuke stabbed her with his sword. She's bleeding to death." Ino clapped her hands to her face, while the boys reacted in outrage. "Oh no! Akima!"

"You're not serious?" exclaimed Shikamaru. Kiba looked shocked.

"No! Akima!"

Neji's face twisted in anger as he registered what Naruto said to him.

"What a cowardly move. Unforgivable." he decided. Naruto raised his head heavenward as he sighed. The others looked at him, knowing that Naruto hadn't finished what he was saying.

"But that's not all. Not by a long shot." Their faces twisted in confusion as Sakura finally caught up with Naruto.

"Naruto! I'm here!" Naruto didn't turn his head to acknowledge her.

"Hey Sakura." he droned as he focused on everybody else's face. Sakura hastily greets everybody else as they just as impatiently greeted her.

"What do you mean, Naruto?" asks Kiba, dismounting Akamaru, who drops to the ground and yawns in a very dog like way. His bushy white tail twitches as Naruto looks at Sakura for an answer about whether he should tell them about my relationship with Sasuke. Sakura nods hesitantly.

"While we were out looking for Sasuke, we found out that he and Akima are 1st cousins." Ino, Kiba, Shikamaru and Neji gasped in amazement.

"Cousins? Why didn't Akima tell us before?" asked Kiba, frowning incredulously. Neji crossed his arms over his chest as he logically answered the question for Naruto and Sakura.

" It was probably because it was on a need to know basis. Nobody else knew about it." Naruto flushed red and looked uncomfortable, while Sakura went silent and got defensive. Ino narrowed her eyes at her rival.

"You two knew, and didn't tell us?" she said, surly. Sakura shook with anger and bellowed at Ino.

"God, Ino! You're such a rude person. This wasn't our place to tell. It should've been up to Akima to tell us when she was ready."

"Obviously not now. Because you and Naruto have just told us." said Shikamaru, bluntly. Sakura ignored him and continued her rant.

"Besides, we couldn't have told you straight away. Because we only just found out two days ago." Naruto was still red-faced and this caused everyone to look at him strangely. Sakura got suspicious.

"Naruto, are you hiding something from us?" Naruto suddenly looked sheepishly at the group of frowning ninja in front of him.

"I knew long before you found out." Sakura grabbed him forcibly by the jacket and pulled him close to her face as she snarled angrily at him.

"WHAT?"

Naruto struggled to get away from Sakura.

" Akima and I had been best friends since we were both five-" Sakura looked like she wanted to strangle Naruto, before Kiba immediately grabbed her by the shirt and dragged her away from Naruto for his own safety.

"It was before I actually got friends. Back when you all thought I was 'cursed' or 'weird'."

Everybody immediately looked awkward. But then Kiba suddenly looked like he was seriously thinking over something in his head.

"Well, it sort of makes sense now. Akima and Sasuke, that is." Ino looked at her boyfriend in surprise.

"How?" Kiba pulled on Ino's fringe for emphasis as he explained.

"They almost look the same. With their fringes and personality. If it wasn't for the fact that Akima was a chick and Sasuke was a dude, you'd probably wouldn't be able to tell them apart."

If I had've been standing there with them, I probably smack Kiba over the back of the head for such a comment.

"Cousin or not. What Sasuke did to Akima is unforgivable, and he deserves what he gets in the future." said Neji, who was addressing both Naruto and Sakura, because they, as well as me had the most to do with him. Ino immediately got offended with Neji's comment.

"Don't say that about Sasuke!" and looked over at Sakura for her reaction.

If it had've been two years ago, Sakura would've also defended Sasuke to the hilt as well, but because it wasn't two years ago, Sakura wasn't sure if she should forgive Sasuke's actions towards somebody he was supposed to love like a sister. Ino was surprised by Sakura's reaction, as was everybody else – with the exception of Naruto, who was still staring impatiently at the hospital doors.

"Don't you agree, Sakura?" Sakura is staring at the ground sorrowfully as she replies to her rival's question.

"I'll always love Sasuke, don't you forget that. But I don't agree to his methods, and what he did to Akima was the last straw." Shikamaru looked over at Naruto and is curious by the way Naruto is acting. He approaches his friend and places a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto. She'll be okay, man. What's gotten into you?" Sakura came over to Shikamaru and addresses him.

"Love. Shikamaru, Naruto and Akima are a couple now." Everybody congratulates Naruto, who barely acknowledges, but instantly jumps when a white kimono clad ninja steps out with a tired, but optimistic expression on his face. Sakura approaches the ninja.

"Is Akima okay?" The ninja looks at Sakura like she had three heads before realising what she said and laughs embarrassedly.

"Oh! They finished with her about three minutes ago. She's sitting up in her room resting." Naruto sped off before the ninja finished speaking.

Typical. Sakura rolled her eyes as the ninja looked back at her and continued talking to her and the others.

"But don't stay too long. I need to summon the Hokage."

"Why? Is her condition bad?" asked Sakura. The medical ninja smiled tiredly.

"No. The procedure went smoothly, who ever fixed her wounds did a bang on job." Sakura smiled at the praise and thanked the ninja who realised that Sakura was Lady Tsunade's apprentice medical student.

"Akima had told me some rather strange things while she was under the local anasthetic, that I think her ladyship ought to be informed of." The medical ninja then yawned loudly before excusing himself and heading off to the Hokage's office.

Sakura exchanged harrassed looks with her friends and the small group chunnin ninja headed into the Hospital to see Akima.  
I, however was enjoying the moment I had with Naruto, as he had burst into the hospital room and scared the shit out of me. He instantly grinned when I looked up at him.

"Hey!" I beamed and nearly fell out of the bed as Naruto tackled me and passionately kissed me. Suddenly we heard somebody wolf-whistling after a few minutes of uninterrupted heaven.

"Wooh! Yeah!" jeers Kiba. Naruto and I glare at Kiba distastefully. Kiba pales and immediately shuts up. Ino approaches the side of the bed not occupied by Naruto and clutched my hand.

"Akima! Are you okay?" I took back my hand and nodded happily.

"Yeah! Much better now that my friends are here!" All the boys came over and high-fived me, and I winced when Ino gave me a tight hug, forgetting for an instant that I had just been patched up.

"We can't believe that Sasuke could do that to you, Akima." said Neji, frowning at me. I was slightly annoyed as while Naruto was 'seeing' that I was feeling better, he had told me the conversation they were all having downstairs.

"Yeah. But from what Naruto told me about your conversation downstairs, I'm getting the impression that you thought Sasuke did it deliberately." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"He didn't?" he asked, confusedly. I shook my head firmly.

"No. He did it to throw Orochimaru off. Mind you, I wish he could've thought of a different, less painful plan." I rubbed my stomach gingerly. I tried to sit up straighter on the bed and I winced causing hands coming at me from every direction. Sakura, who had taken Ino's place on the bed and was now holding my hand and sitting next to me, was the closest and with some assistance from Naruto, readjusted the pillow so I could sit up.

"I'm confused." said Naruto.

"So what else is new?" muttered Shikamaru. I ignored the both of them.

"Sasuke and I have been doing this long before he left Konoha two years ago." I admitted.

Ino crossed her arms over her chest and stared at me with a jealous expression on her face that I recognised because Sakura had been using it for a long, long time.

"Really? Prove it. Give an example." Everybody looks at her, outraged by her rudeness. I glared at her acidly. Sighing as I recalled Sasuke telling me how much Ino and Sakura were annoying him. More so, Ino.

"I can see what Sasuke means. Sure, I'll give you an example." I agreed. Ino, hearing me saying that Sasuke had mentioned her, perked up and clasped her hands together excitedly much to Kiba's chagrin.

"What was that about Sasuke? What did he say about me?"

Everybody stared at Ino dubiously. Sasuke's cold, malicious laughter suddenly appeared in my head, which I ignored completely.

"Uh, once I was feeling really shitty and I went home early. You remember? We were outside the Ramen shop." Everybody shook their heads. I sighed in frustration.

"Anyway, I said "I'm not feeling well, guys. See you later." And I walked home. Sasuke, after a couple of minutes announced that he was bored and had better things to do with his time and said he was going home too. Is this ringing any bells now?" Heads continued shaking, except for Sakura who instantly looked uncomfortable.

I frowned at her.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Sakura got off the bed and turned to face me.

"I know all about that day personally." Everybody looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked her. Sakura sighed, looking like she desperately didn't want to confess what she was about to say.

"I mean, that I followed you and Sasuke after he left. Because I was really jealous and suspicious of your relationship with him. I do remember you saying: "I don't feel very well. I'll see ya tomorrow." and then leaving. Then two minutes later, Sasuke said he was bored and that he had better things to do with his time and then he left... after shaking Ino off his arm."

Ino's face reacted as she too remembered that day as well.

"Oh, right!" she exclaimed. Then pouted as she remembered Sasuke rejecting her yet again. I frowned disapprovingly Sakura, who wilted underneath my glare. But she still pressed on with her confession.

"I shadowed Sasuke until he turned a corner and flattened myself against the wall, before peering 'round. I remember seeing you, and feeling this stab of jealousy, and then hearing you saying "took you long enough" and then Sasuke making his typical sarcastic retort, then laughing. Which I thought was really weird because he never laughed..." She turned to everybody else.

"Did you guys ever heard Sasuke laugh?"

"Only deviously. Never positively or out of pleasure." admitted Shikamaru. The other boys agreed with him. I scowled resentfully at my friends, for not trying to get to know Sasuke better.

"Oh, believe me he did and probably still does despite the pain and suffering he got from that fucking bastard, Orochimaru and that traitor, Itachi." I said, bitingly.  
Sakura winced at my angry voice and finished her confession.

"...and then I saw him take your hand and both of you set off down the road towards your home. I was hurt and very resentful of you at first. But now that I know that you both are cousins, I feel really ashamed that I was that paranoid." I relaxed at this, knowing that at long bloody last I wasn't going to be getting poison looks from my other best friend.

"At least you were honest with me. I'm really annoyed that you went behind our backs and spied on us. But there really wasn't anything for you to be worried about." I suddenly yawned, which indicated immediately to everybody that I was in need of a much needed sleep.

"We'll see ya later, Akima. Sorry about what happened to you." said Shikamaru and he and the others left.  
Leaving only Naruto and Sakura behind.

"So what happens now? Granny Tsunade coming down?" asks Naruto.

"Yeah, she needs to. We need to report what happened down there with Sasuke and Orochimaru. They're going to tell Kakashi as well." answers Sakura.

Naruto pulls a face.

"Does Tsunade need to know everything?" he whined. Sakura rolled her eyes at his complaint.

"Yes, Naruto. Everything." But even she was looking worried.

I fell asleep listening to the two of them bickering amongst themselves, with Naruto stroking my hair and from the warmth in Sakura's hand as Sakura held mine protectively. Several hours later, I woke up feeling much better than before. I turned my head and saw that Sakura and Naruto had brought over some of my stuff and my laptop, which I instantly grabbed and logged into the chat room_._


	11. Informal Chatroom

**DISCLAIMER:  
**I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**INFORMAL CHATROOM**

_** x-PSYCHIC_FIRE_KUNOICHI-x has just signed in...**_

Within ten seconds I was immediately bombarded by all my friends signing in, except for one whom I wished would.

**_ NINE_TAILED_NINJA has just signed in..._**

NARUTO: Hey babe! You feeling better? You were asleep for hours!

AKIMA: Hey Naruto :D Yeah. I'm still a little nauceous, but I'm cool with that.

* * *

_**CHERRY_BLOSSOM has just signed in...**_

SAKURA: Akima-chan! You're awake! :D

AKIMA: Very much aware of this, Sakura-chan! :P

NARUTO: Yeah. Kinda obvious, Sakura :P

SAKURA: Nobody asked your opinion, Naruto. :(

AKIMA: LOL!

* * *

_**I_HEART_SASUKE-KUN has just signed in...**_

"Oh c'mon, Ino! Seriously?" I muttered when I saw her screenname.

SAKURA: Ino... what the hell is that?

INO: My screen name. Why what's wrong with it?

NARUTO: What's right with it, is probably the better answer...

INO: Shut up, Naruto! You jerk.

AKIMA: I kinda concur with his statement, Ino. It's really tacky. I thought it was _**FLOWER_KUNOICHI. **_

INO: I changed it, obviously. Besides, I happen to like it, Akima. You don't get to hog Sasuke to yourself.

AKIMA: Who's hogging who? He's my cousin, Ino. Not my personal slave!

NARUTO: That's what dreams are made of...

SAKURA: You're lucky he's not here, Naruto. He'd probably have your balls for that...

NARUTO: Good thing he's not here, isn't it?

AKIMA: I'll see to your cheeky ass later on, Naruto :P

NARUTO: Promises. Promises.

SAKURA: O_O I think I just threw up a bit...

INO: Ew...

AKIMA: But seriously, Ino. Sasuke's really not interested. Change it back.

INO: Fine. I just hope Kiba doesn't come on before I change it...

_** I_HEART_SASUKE-KUN changed her screenname to FLOWER_KUNOICHI**_

* * *

_** ARTIST_AT_WORK has just signed in...**_

SAI: Hi.

AKIMA: Hey Sai :)

NARUTO: Hi Sai.

SAKURA: Hey!

INO: Who are you?

SAI: Sai. Who are you?

INO: Ino. How come you guys never introduced me to him?

NARUTO: 'Cause we were about to?

INO: Not fast enough.

SAI: Ok. This is boring... Bye.

_** HOW_IS_THIS_CHATROOM_INTERESTING_? signed out...**_

* * *

AKIMA: Ok. That was awkward...

NARUTO: Yeah. No kidding, what's eating him?

INO: He was rude!

AKIMA/NARUTO/SAKURA: ROTFL!

INO: What's so funny?

SAKURA: You had to be there to understand, Ino.

* * *

_** SHY_BYAKUGAN_USER has signed in...**_

NARUTO: Hey, it's Hinata! Hi!

HINATA: Oh. H-hey, Naruto...

AKIMA: Hey Hinata!

HINATA: Hi Akima, how are you feeling?

AKIMA: Better thanks! We need to catch up soon. I miss hanging out with you!

HINATA: Sounds like fun :)

* * *

_** SAND_MAN has signed in...**_

GAARA: I hear somebody got critically injured...

AKIMA: Not critically. I'm awake aren't I?

GAARA: Of course. But you're not like other people. I've known that for a long time.

AKIMA: That's sweet :)

SAKURA: What about you, Gaara? How are you going?

GAARA: I'll live...

NARUTO: Man, Gaara. You're no fun at all :(

GAARA: Shall I leave then?

AKIMA: No! Stay. I haven't heard from my friends since Naruto, Sakura, Sai and I went on our mission. I missed them a lot.

SAKURA: Yeah, Gaara. Please stay and don't pay any attention to Naruto. He's always been an idiot.

NARUTO: Hey!

AKIMA: Yeah, an idiot. But he's my idiot...

NARUTO: Aww... thanks, Akima! :D :D

* * *

_** MY_DAD'S_CALLING_ME signed out...**_

AKIMA: Hinata! Oh shit! Me and my big mouth...

SAKURA: It's alright, Akima. You're still high on anasthetic. You probably didn't know what you were saying... :(

NARUTO: What am I missing here? :S :S

AKIMA: Nothing, Naruto. Hinata must have needed to do something important.

SAKURA: Yeah, nothing you need to know about.

NARUTO: Alright then? :S :S

* * *

_** PUPPET_MASTER has signed in...**_

KANKURō: Gaara, what are you doing? You're supposed to be doing paperwork!

GAARA: Stop being an idiot! I'm having a break. You have no idea how tedious paperwork is.

KANKURō: You keep this up and you're gonna get busted by the council.

GAARA: Grrr...

AKIMA: Hey lay off, Kankurō. This is the happy hour. Argue on your own time.

KANKURō: Who's gonna make me? You?

AKIMA: If the shoe fits, buster!

NARUTO: Watch it, Kankurō! We're not supposed to make Akima get worked up. She's still recovering.

KANKURō: Recovering? From what?

SAKURA: From what? Didn't Gaara tell you?

KANKURō: Tell me what?

INO: Akima got badly wounded by Sasuke.

KANKURō: What? No way! I never get told anything around here. GAARA!

* * *

_** LOST_MY_PEN signed out...**_

EVERYONE: LOL!

KANKURō: I'll talk to you guys later. I'm about to be one sibling short...

* * *

_**PLOTTING_LITTLE_BROTHER'S_DEMISE signed out...**_

AKIMA: Sad thing is. I know who's gonna win. LoL!

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_** HOT_DOG has signed in...**_

KIBA: Hey gorgeous! You're awake!

AKIMA: Hi Kiba :)

INO: What about me, your girlfriend?

KIBA: Oh, uh... I was getting to you. Hey baby, how you going?

INO: Fine thanks, sweetie^^

NARUTO: Ok! Next subject!

AKIMA/SAKURA: LOL!

AKIMA: So what happened after I passed out?

KIBA: Not a clue. All I did was spend time with Ino. Right?

INO: Totally :D

KIBA: You'd have to ask Shikamaru or Neji. If you can tear them away from their girlfriends long enough for them to tell you.

AKIMA: Hmmm. Do I sense a hint of bitterness?

KIBA: Not at all. It just gets a little awkward when you're in the middle of a conversation with them and they get distracted or...

AKIMA: I get the picture. EW!

* * *

_** KONOHA'S_GREEN_BEAST has signed in...**_

ROCK LEE: HOW DARE SASUKE HURT MY AKIMA!

AKIMA: Pardon?

NARUTO: 'Your Akima'? What the hell are you talking about?

ROCK LEE: I'll avenge you, Akima!

SAKURA: Uh, Lee. Naruto's going out with Akima.

ROCK LEE: He is?

NARUTO: I am!

KIBA: Dude. Lee, you're embarrassing yourself. Stop while you're ahead.

ROCK LEE: But...but...but. :'(

INO: Oh no! Here come the water works...

ROCK LEE: That's not fair! Why would you choose Naruto over me?

AKIMA: Several reasons. 1) Naruto and I have been best friends since we were both five. 2) We shared a lot of experiences together, including experiences with Sasuke and Sakura. 3) You freak me out.

ROCK LEE: I see. The better man won, Naruto :(

NARUTO: O_o There was no contest, Bushy Brow.

ROCK LEE: But even so, Akima. I will have my revenge against Sasuke for hurting you.

AKIMA: Lee? Even if you did find Sasuke, he'd kill you within ten seconds of you fighting him. Plus, I wouldn't let you.

ROCK LEE: You're going to protect your own assaulter!

AKIMA: He's my cousin. That's what we do ;)

ROCK LEE: Cousin!

SAKURA: Yep!

NARUTO: Beat it, Bushy brow!

ROCK LEE: Alright. I'll talk to you later, Akima. Missing you already...

AKIMA: Uh? I look forward to it...

_** I'VE_LOST_MY_TRUE_LOVE has signed out...**_

* * *

AKIMA: Not...

KIBA: Lee has finally lost it.

INO: You said it!

NARUTO: Anybody else feel nauseous after reading that last part?

SAKURA: I think everyone was, Naruto.

* * *

_** HYUUGA_GUARDIAN has signed in...**_

NEJI: Hi Akima, how you feeling?

AKIMA: Great! Thanks Neji!

* * *

_** LAZY_GENIUS has signed in...**_

SHIKAMARU: The sleeping beauty awakes...

AKIMA: Okay, seriously guys. What's with the cheesy talk? I was injured, not in a coma.

* * *

_** SUNA'S_SHIKA_FAN has signed in...**_

TEMARI: Hey Bestie! How you holding up?

AKIMA: Hey Temari! I'm great thanks :)

TEMARI: That's the spirit ;)

* * *

_** WEAPON_CHICK has signed in...**_

TENTEN: Hey! It's my weapon's expert! Hope you're not too sore :(

AKIMA: Sore doesn't cut it... I'm still in a lot of pain.

TENTEN: Aw, that's not good. I was hoping you'd be feeling well enough to leave the Hospital soon.

AKIMA: I should be released in two weeks. Why?

TENTEN: Because I was planning this 'Welcome back!" party for you, Sakura and Naruto. Everyone's invited!

TEMARI: Even Gaara, Kankurō and I?

TENTEN: Of course! Wouldn't be much of a party if you guys weren't there.

TEMARI: YES! Finally, a chance to see Shika again!

SHIKAMARU: Looking forward to it too :D

KIBA: Yeah, a day off training for once!

INO: And an opportunities to spend time with our sweethearts!

SAKURA: Yeah. Sweethearts :(

AKIMA: Don't worry, Sakura. I probably won't be allowed to do too much dancing anyway. I'll keep you company.

SAKURA: Oh yeah. Neji don't forget to invite Hinata, we're gonna bring along Sai for her.

NEJI: No problem.

NARUTO: I can't wait for this party! Karaoke! Woo!

AKIMA: I haven't gotten this excited since you discovered Ramen.

EVERYONE: LOL!

TENTEN: Great! Everybody meet up at Neji and Hinata's house on Friday two weeks time. It's big enough for all of us!

EVERYONE: OK!

TENTEN: Well, I have to sign off. Mom says it's dinnertime. Talk to you soon, Akima! You coming, Neji?

NEJI: Coming! See ya guys!

_** GET_WELL_SOON_AKIMA_LOVE_YOU_LOTS has signed out...**_

_** FEEL_BETTER_AKIMA has signed out...**_

* * *

KIBA: I need to go too. I need to walk Akamaru.

INO: I'm coming too. I'll meet you at the Park. Talk to you soon, Akima! Bye Sakura.

Bye Naruto.

SAKURA: See Ya!

NARUTO: Bye.

AKIMA: Nice chatting with you.

_** WALKING_AKAMARU has signed out...**_

_** MEETING_KIBA_AND_AKAMARU has signed out...**_

* * *

TEMARI: Gotta tell Gaara and Kankurō. See you tomorrow! I'll call you, Shika :)

_**GOTTA_MEDIATE_BETWEEN_FIGHTING_BROTHERS has signed out...**_

* * *

SHIKAMARU: That means I've got to go too. See ya guys!

_** WONDER_WHAT'S_ON_TV_? has signed out...**_

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_** COPY_NINJA has signed in...**_

AKIMA: Hey, Kakashi-sensai is online :D

NARUTO: Do you think he's been told yet?

SAKURA: Only one way to find out...

KAKASHI: Hi kids, welcome back! Heard a lot from Yamato and Jiraiya.

NARUTO: Wow. That was quick...

AKIMA: What have you heard?

KAKASHI: That you found Sasuke, Akima took Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke back in time. And Sasuke stabbed Akima.

SAKURA: Quite a bit then.

KAKASHI: Yeah. But I'd like to hear it from Akima's point of view. If she's up to it.

AKIMA: Well, I'm not. Next topic please.

KAKASHI: Disappointing, but I respect your wishes. Maybe some other time. What else are you, kids up to?

* * *

_** PLEASE_LOVE_ME_TOO_AKIMA signed in...**_

ROCK LEE: Hey guys! What's this I hear of a Welcome back party?

SAKURA: LEE! SHUT UP!

NARUTO: GET LOST!

AKIMA: Oh god...

ROCK LEE: But-

NARUTO: GET LOST NOW OR SAKURA AND I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND PUMMEL YOU!

ROCK LEE: Leaving-

_** YOU_GUYS_HAVE_BECOME_REALLY_MEAN has signed out...**_

* * *

KAKASHI: Hey, that sounds like fun :)

NARUTO: Sorry, Kakashi-sensai, but you're not invited.

KAKASHI: I can't go anyway. I'm supposed to be taking it easy. Using my special sharingan drained me a lot.

AKIMA: Tell me about it :)

NARUTO: Don't tempt him!

KAKASHI: Very funny, Naruto. Well, I'll talk to you kids soon. Bye.

_** WHERE_DID_MY_BOOK_GO has signed out.**_

* * *

SAKURA: I gotta go too. Lady Tsunade wants to see me. I'll come over and visit you soon, Akima. Love you xx

AKIMA: Love ya too, Sakura-chan. Bye xx

_**I_MISS_SASUKE has signed out.**_

* * *

NARUTO: Alone at last ;D

AKIMA: Yeah. But it's not the same without the real thing. Come over in half an hour?

NARUTO: Hell yeah!

AKIMA: I'll be waiting...

_** IN_LOVE_WITH_A_PRETTY_PSYCHIC has signed out...**_

* * *

I chuckled to myself and was about to sign out when an unexpected person signed in:

_**THE_AVENGER has signed in...**_

_What the? Sasuke?_

SASUKE: Hey kiddo! Been a few days...

AKIMA: Sasuke! You realise this is both reckless and stupid? Anyone could sign in...

SASUKE: Nobody's gonna sign in.

AKIMA: You better be right. And what's with the 'kiddo' comment? I thought only Itachi called you that?

SASUKE: No. He called me 'squirt'.

AKIMA: My mistake then.

SASUKE: How are you feeling?

AKIMA: I'll live, like you promised.

SASUKE: Great.

There was an awkward pause in the conversation as I waited for Sasuke to finally tell me what he wanted to say. But he didn't so I prompted him.

AKIMA: What is it that you wanted to talk to me about, that you were unable to say in front of Naruto and Sakura?

SASUKE: Just that I have no intention of ever returning to Konoha, and for you to give up on your attempts to find and bring me back.

AKIMA: You know that's never gonna happen.

SASUKE: It's worth a shot. But just warning you that the next time we meet, it won't end well, I can promise you that.

AKIMA: Thanks for the heads up.

SASUKE: No need for sarcasm, Akima. There's a time and a place :P

AKIMA: You heard me in the tunnel didn't you?

SASUKE: It's amazing what echos do, Akima. Very dumb move.

AKIMA: Grrr...

SASUKE: :)

AKIMA: Sasuke, I'm going to ask you a serious question, and I want you to answer truthfully.

SASUKE: Fire away.

AKIMA: I'm serious, Sasuke. No games.

SASUKE: I am serious. I'd do anything for you, remember?

AKIMA: Just checking. Do you actually miss your old friends here? You've been the height of gossip when everyone of our friends found out you critically stabbed me.

SASUKE: I can honestly say there are some of my old friends that I do miss. As for the gossip thing, that's very interesting.

I chuckled as I travelled down memory lane again.

AKIMA: So would you object for a 'once-in-a-lifetime-never-gonna-happen-again' reunion?

SASUKE: Depends...

AKIMA: There will be rules, of course.

SASUKE: Only if I can stand with you at all times.

AKIMA: If you can stand to be next to Naruto, sure.

SASUKE: You're not making this tempting. But because it's only a once off thing. I'll consider it. When do you want to do this?

AKIMA: Tenten's having a 'welcome home' party on Friday in two weeks for Sakura, Naruto and I. I'll subtly suggest a game to them and we'll go from there.

SASUKE: I'm liking this idea less and less.

I was about to rebuke Sasuke for being such a baby before a knock on the door almost causes me to throw my laptop across the room.

"Yeah?" I called out.

"Akima? It's me. You alright?" asked Naruto, sounding concerned. I must've made more noise than I thought.

"Yeah. I'm cool! Hang on!" I called back. I turned back to my laptop and hastily typed to Sasuke.

AKIMA: Sasuke. I gotta go. I'll come back on later.

SASUKE: Sure. I'll talk to you later. See ya.

AKIMA: Love you xx

SASUKE: Love you too :)

_**OFF_TO_SHARPEN_SWORD signs out...**_

* * *

I shuddered as I pictured this.

_God, Sasuke. Morbid much?_

_**WISHES_LIFE_WASN'T_SO_COMPLICATED signs out...**_


	12. Sweet Disposition

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters!

* * *

**SWEET DISPOSITION**

After two weeks of being stuck in the Konoha Hospital, I was finally released. Naturally, I was escorted home by my boyfriend and my best friend who was standing on my right. I was stuck in the middle of the two of them, but unfortunately, all that Sakura could talk about was the party Tenten had organised for tonight. She was driving Naruto and I insane.

"Tonight is going to be so much fun! We haven't had fun for a while." Naruto rolled his eyes and muttered loud enough for Sakura to hear.

"Yeah, you've said it about a million times by now."

The next thing I knew I was sitting on the dirt road next to Naruto who was sporting a huge lump on the back of his head from where Sakura had thumped him. How it happened? Well, I was holding onto Naruto's hand, so when Sakura belted him in the head, I went down with him. I sighed, wincing slightly. As Sakura stared down at us in horror.

"Akima! Naruto, you idiot! Look what you just did!" she shrieked. Naruto glared up at Sakura, rubbing the back of his head.

"Me? You're the one who hit me in the head!" He retorted. Sakura naturally ignored him.

"Akima, are you okay?"

I smiled sarcastically. "Peachy."

"What's going on?" a strict, older female's voice asks.

I saw two sandalled feet come into view. I looked up and saw that I was staring into the sharp, brown eyes of Lady Tsunade, who had her hands on her hips and was looking down at us with an expression similar what a mother trying to referee a fight between her unruly children would have. Her ladyship was flanked by her assistant who was staring down at the three of us disapprovingly and Master Jiraiya, who was staring at us with an amused expression.

"Sakura hit Naruto over the head because he annoyed her and at the time, I was holding his hand. So when he fell down from Sakura's blow, I went down with him." I winced slightly as Lady Tsunade glances at Sakura and raises an unimpressed eyebrow at her.

"Well, you Sakura of all people should know better. Be careful next time. Akima has just left the hospital, we don't want to put her back in it." Sakura stood up and bowed formally to the 5th Kokage in apology.

"Sorry, m'lady."

"Alright, kids. Up ya get!" Master Jiraiya came up behind his godson and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him to his feet. But it took the efforts of Sakura and Tsunade to pull me to my feet, gently.

"Thank you." I said, graciously.

"Well, now that I have you here, I would like to get your point of view of the 'Vision Quest' you took your team mates on, please." Tsunade requested of me. I hesitated, but realised I was going to have to reveal it to her eventually. So I agreed, reluctantly.

"Of course, m'lady." Lady Tsunade smiled kindly at me.

"Shall we go to your apartment then?" I nodded and using Naruto and Sakura as leaning posts, led the way towards my apartment. When we arrived there, we were greeted by Kakashi who was sitting on a nearby fence, waiting patiently for us to appear and reading one of Jiraiya's make out books. He immediately snaps it shut when our little group comes into view.

"Hey kids! Nice to see you again!" Kakashi smiles brightly at us. Lady Tsunade smiles at him.

"Ah, Kakashi. Good of you to come." I unlocked the door and stepped back to let everybody pass, as they went into my sitting room.

"Please, make yourself at home." I said to my guests then I quickly went into my bedroom to deposit my soiled clothing and turn on my iPod player. Then came back out into my kitchen and made a pot of tea for everybody. Lady Tsunade and her assistant sat down at my couch, while Naruto, Sakura and Kakashi took residence at my guest table. Jiraiya chose to lean against the wall next to the front door.

"Alright now, Akima. Tell us everything" I gulped, placing the tea tray on the table and sat down next to Naruto.

"Okay, uh. I was standing next to Sakura telling her my plan about taking her, Sasuke and Naruto back to our past to help Sasuke see all the good times and to try and persuade him to stop his vengeance against Itachi – even though he so totally deserves it." I said at top speed.

"Okay. Go on." Lady Tsunade said, gesturing with her hand.

"Then Yamato told us that Sasuke was about to attack Naruto and then we watched as Sasuke sprang off the lip of the crater like it was a springboard and landed near Naruto." Naruto shuddered when he remembered that.

"Yeah. That was scary." He muttered.

"And what did Sasuke say to you, Naruto?" asked Lady Tsunade, who looked at him with concern. Naruto looked up at Tsunade.

"Sasuke started mocking me by telling me that I was wasting my time trying to save him when I could have spent that time training to become the next Hokage." Her ladyship nodded.

"I see, and what did you say to that?"

Naruto sighed before answering.

"_"How could I become Hokage if I can't even save one of my friends?"_" Sakura spoke up after that.

"That was when Sai, who we thought was trying to assassinate Sasuke, came over and stopped Sasuke from trying to impale Naruto on his sword." Lady Tsunade hummed in agreement.

"I did have the suspicion that something like that was going to happen. So then after Sai rescued Naruto, what else happened?"

"Sasuke attacked Sai, which Yamato intervened on and then Sasuke turned on him and stabbed Yamato in the shoulder. After that I acted on my plan. I asked Sakura to go and explain everything to Naruto and I went over to Sasuke and collected his chakra for the vision to work." I continued the story. Kakashi then piped up.

"Then you sent the four of you back 'in time'." I looked at my former Sensai with shock.

"How did you know that?"

Kakashi grinned at me.

"Just a wild guess. That's usually how Sharingan charms work." He laughed slightly.

"Can you tell us what you saw in the vision?" asked Jiraiya, eagerly. Lady Tsunade sat up a little straighter when this was asked.

"Yes, that actually sounds very interesting." I had to fight to stop myself from raising my eyebrow.

_You weren't as enthusiastic the last time... _

"First, we saw the day team 7 got our picture taken. Naruto and Sasuke wouldn't stop bickering the entire time." said Sakura. Kakashi sighed exasperatedly.

"Yeah. Don't remind me."

Sakura giggled. "Uh, that was when we were reliving it, Sensai."

Kakashi brightened at this.

"Oh. That's okay then. Glad I wasn't there." Naruto then looked mischievous again.

"Then we revisited the memory where we tried to see what was under Kakashi-sensai's mask." said Naruto. Kakashi scratched his head sheepishly when Naruto told the three adults this.

"You're still going on about that?" Master Jiraiya chuckled at Kakashi's reaction.

"Glad to see you kids had fun then. Ha ha." Lady Tsunade smiled slightly before turning to me and asking me more questions.

"Then what happened, Akima?"

The laughter stopped when Naruto and Sakura realised what I had to tell Tsunade and both took my hands for support, as this was still a sensitive subject for me.

"We witnessed my parents' murder at the hands of Orochimaru, after that we saw you, Master Jiraiya, come in and picked me up to take me to the 3rd Hokage." I turned to Master Jiraiya, lowered his head gravely.

"I really hoped that that wouldn't have come up. It was a terrible loss." commented Jiraiya.

"You should've seen Sasuke's face when he saw that. It was scary." added Naruto. Lady Tsunade glowered at Naruto.

"Understandable, Naruto. They were his Aunt and Uncle." Naruto looked shamefaced at what he had said.

"I've never seen Sasuke look so-"

"Devastated? Anguished? Vulnerable?" I interrupted, snappishly. I didn't like the way they were talking about Sasuke.

Sakura looked at me mystified.

"How did you-?" I pointed to my head with my index finger. "Psychic."

Sakura nodded in response.

"And the fact that she's related to him is a dead giveaway as well." added Lady Tsunade, smirking slightly.

"Did you know what happened to you after I rescued you from your parents' house, Akima?" asked Jiraiya, urgently. Naruto, Sakura and I nodded.

"Yeah. We saw one of Sasuke's memories." I replied.

"Then the weirdest thing happened..." began Naruto. Jiraiya grinned at his godson.

"Do tell." Naruto bounced excitedly on the spot as he remembered exactly what he and the rest of us had seen.

"We saw our future selves!" he gushed. All the adults looked surprised.

"Really?" asked Tsunade. Sakura nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah. Then when Sasuke's older self turned up, Akima totally lost it after touching his hand. Then she ran off." Tsunade looked at me suspiciously.

"Why did you run away, Akima?" I sighed angrily as the memory rushed back and all the anger that I had previously had came rushing back. I glanced at Naruto, who also was tight-lipped about it as well.

"I got a premonition after I grabbed the older Sasuke's hand. In my vision I saw Sasuke's possible future. I got pissed off when I saw what Sasuke was wearing.  
That resorted to my running away." Lady Tsunade nodded in reply. While both Kakashi and Jiraiya gave me their full attention.

"It was hinted that Sasuke was going to join the Akatsuki. And considering that we had just fought against some of them, it disgusted me." Kakashi looked at Naruto and Sakura.

"Did your teammates go after you?" he asked. Naruto scowled at his former Sensai.

"We're not idiots. Of course we did."

I grinned at Naruto and flung an arm around his shoulders. Sakura rolled her eyes at the both of us.

"Naruto found me, and calmed me down." Sakura turned her head away to mutter to herself.

"Yeah. I bet he did."

Naruto kicked her underneath the table. Sakura jumped in surprise. But Naruto had something else to say to the three older ninja.

"But before we went after Akima, our four elder selves told me something about our future that is going to happen-"

But before Naruto could say any more, Jiraiya raised a hand to silence him.

"Then it's better that we don't know about it." Naruto and I continued telling them about the memories that we had re-witnessed.

"Naruto and I saw the day we first became friends. And then Sasuke arrived and we witnessed a time where Sasuke and I were younger and when Sasuke was very protective of me." Sakura shrugged as we finished telling Tsunade, Kakashi and Jiraiya what we had seen of our past memories.

"That's pretty much all that happened because Orochimaru appeared and we were brought back to the present."

Lady Tsunade and her assistant rose to their feet, and Kakashi followed suit.

"Well, thank you for sharing this with us. What Yamato reported back to me makes more sense with your information."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door which Jiraiya answers. He grinned at Naruto, Sakura and I as Temari, Hinata, Tenten and Ino stepped into the apartment with surprised expressions on their faces.

"It seems that the kids have something planned for tonight." reports Jiraiya.

Temari bowed low to Tsunade.

"Good evening, m'lady. Master Jiraiya. Kakashi-sensai." Lady Tsunade nodded in reply to the awkward Sand Kunoichi.

"Good evening, Temari." Then looks at the others. "Girls?"

"Good evening, Lady Tsunade." replies Ino, sweetly. Hinata smiled slightly at the Kokage.

"M'lady."

Tenten struggled by with an overstuffed bag, trying not to look too flustered. "Good evening."

Tsunade smiles brightly at us before heading towards the door, with the other adults in tow.

"Have fun."

Tsunade, her assistant, Kakashi and Jiraiya make their leave. Only Naruto remained. Temari instantly turns on him, frowning severely.

"Out, Naruto! You'll see Akima later!" I hooked an arm through my boyfriend's arm and headed for the door.

"I'll show him out." To my annoyance, the other girls giggled at the both of us and made a beeline for my bedroom.

Hinata, however was one of the last to go because she was staring sullenly at Naruto for several seconds before Sakura noticed her coldness and hooked her arm through Hinata's rigid arm and distracted her with a question, whilst simultaneously leading her to my bedroom.

_She's pissed... _I thought and hoped Naruto wouldn't ask questions. Naruto had looked shocked at the expression on Hinata's face.

"Woah. Hinata looks angry." I feigned surprise.

"Really? I didn't notice." Naruto pulls me into a hug and I clung to him tightly, breathing him in.

"See ya tonight." he whispered in my ear. I pulled away and smiled brightly at him.

"Love you." I replied, quietly and kissed him tenderly. Naruto responded enthusiastically, then broke off gently and walked down the corridor and out into the dirt streets of Konoha, presumably towards his Apartment to get ready himself.

"Hey Naruto!" I called out to him.

"Yeah?"

"Just make sure the guys come with ya so that we can all show up at the party together!" I reminded him.

"Sure. See ya tonight!" I heard his fading feet as he sprinted off down the street. I stepped back inside the Apartment and lent up against the door, sighing. Hinata's unhappy face forced itself into my head and I instantly felt guilty.

"Okay."

I made my way over to my bedroom and opened the door, where upon I was immediately pounced on and dragged in there by a couple of overly enthusiastic kunoichi, who started giggling. Temari took charge of the main event.

"Hey Bitches! Who's ready to get Akima dressed for tonight?" There was a unanimous agreement, except for Hinata who is sitting on the bedroom floor looking like she was about to burst into tears.

"I'm not sure what to wear though. I've never been a party girl before." I admitted, awkwardly.

_Of course you haven't stupid. You've been a total recluse your whole life... _Sakura came over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders as she guided me over to my bed and sat me down.

"That's okay. We'll help you find something. That's why we're all getting dressed here." Sakura explained. The others nodded.

"Yeah, you're gonna look so hot, Naruto's gonna die!" promises Ino, grinning wickedly at me. I winced and grinned back kinda pathetically. As the girls started organising how they were going to make me over, I saw Hinata stand up and head for the bedroom door kinda quickly. It looked like she literally wanted to burst into tears now.

_Oh crap!_ Tenten looked up at this.

"Hinata? Where are you going?" I saw my chance to explain myself to Hinata.

"Bathroom. I'll just show her where that is." I followed Hinata out of my bedroom and into the sitting room, where Hinata surveyed me with a look of complete resentment. I don't really deserve it, because it wasn't Naruto's fault that he didn't know the extent of Hinata's feelings for him.

"Hinata, I know that you're upset about Naruto and I going out together. But I have something to tell you about that." I tried to explain to an angry Hinata. Hinata crossed her arms protectively over her chest.

"You're going to gloat about it?" she snapped, sourly. I bit back my retort barely.

"No. I'm not that insensitive, Hinata." I replied, dryly. Hinata sank down onto my couch and stared stonily at me. Then I had a sudden thought that might help Hinata through her pain.

"Wait here for a moment." I trotted back to my bedroom and fished around in my backpack, the one I took with me on missions, and located what I was looking for and hurried back outside to Hinata who was looking at me suspiciously.

"Here, take this." I shoved a photo into Hinata's hands.

The girl stares down at the photo in surprise. It's a picture of the new team 7 with Yamato instead of Kakashi standing over us. The photo is actually quite funny as standing in place where Sasuke should've been standing is Naruto, with his hand around my waist. Following in this order – me, I had my arm around Naruto's neck like the last picture of team 7 where I had my arm around Sasuke's shoulders, next to me is Sakura who is not grinning angelically into the camera like last time, but is, like Naruto and I, staring with total dislike at Sai who is standing where Naruto had originally been in the previous team 7 photo with his fake smile.

In fact, the only people smiling in this photo is Sai and Yamato. Hinata looks at me questioningly.

"Who's that?" she asks, indicating the only obvious person in the picture: Sai.

"His name is Sai. He's gonna be at the party tonight. And if you like, he can be your date." I suggested, hopefully.  
Hinata stares at me confusedly. I sighed.

"I felt bad when I accidentally blurted out in front of you that Naruto and I were going out. So I'm trying to make it up to you." Hinata nodded, looking slightly insulted.  
But I hadn't finished yet.

"But I'm also telling you, Hinata. That relationships don't always last forever. So there might be a change that you and Naruto might become a couple in the future. So don't lose hope." I urged.

Hinata finally cracked a smile.

"You really think so?" she asked, quietly. I nodded and tickled Hinata, fondly.

"Of course I think so." I replied. Hinata smiled at me happily.

"Thanks, Akima!" I pulled her to her feet and we walked hand in hand back to the bedroom, after I pocketed reluctantly the picture of the newly constructed team 7.

"That's what friends are for." We hugged and Hinata took another look at Sai, frowning slightly.

"You know, this guy is kinda cute." I laughed, then remembered something important.

"But I need to warn you. He can be really blunt and really rude. Mainly because he's never been out before. Just a heads up." Hinata looks a little concerned.

"Okay. Thanks."

I linked arms with Hinata and head back into the bedroom, before Sakura takes my hands and starts dancing with me. Then she leads me over to a nearby chair and gently eases me down into it, because of my injuries. Apparently, while I had been talking with Hinata out in the sitting room, Temari the fashion expert, had picked out what I was going to be wearing tonight.

"You're serious?" I asked, dubiously. Temari came over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Akima, trust me. You're gonna look totally hot!" promises Temari. I look over at Tenten, who is standing near my dressing table with her hand on her hip staring disapprovingly at my hair.

"I'm doing your hair, Akima." I smiled and nodded at Tenten.

"Okay. What do you have in mind?" Tenten comes over and pulls my hair out of its messy ponytail and shakes out my hair. She frowns at the touch of my hair.

"Well after you've washed it and blow-dried, I was thinking a funky, but casual upsweep." she unties it and places it on the dressing table. I think I'll tie that around my forehead later on.

"Awesome."

Hinata comes over to me, shyly.

"I-I'm doing your assessories. Um, here." Hinata passes my old fishnet hobo gloves and my favourite pair of silver dangling earrings. I take them eagerly.

"Thanks, Hinata! Great choice!" Sakura and Ino bounce forward and I flinch as my cousin's fervent admirers surveyed me with interest.

"Ino and I are doing your make-up!" they squeal excitedly. I feel my eyes widen.

"I don't have any make-up, except for black eyeliner and lipgloss." Ino grins at me.

"Well, we've brought our own." She and Sakura turn and high-five each other. I grinned warily. Temari looks at my bedside clock.

"Okay, we've got an hour before Tenten's party. Time for us to get ready!"

* * *

Except for Tenten, who quite obviously had brought her weapons' bag full of her clothes and make-up, the others produced gym bags and backpacks and decided that because it was my bathroom, that I would go first with the showering.

How thoughtful of them.

Then the other girls played 'paper, scissors, rock' to decide who would go next. Sakura won. So I tottered into my bathroom and started cleaning up, but came across a slight problem that I needed assistance with.

"Uh? Can I have some help please?" I stuck my head out the door and the girls looked up at me frowning.

"What's wrong, Akima? Are you hurt?" asked Sakura, removing her gloves just in case. I shook my head no.

"Bandage." All the girls laughed in embarrassment and Sakura sighed and came in to unwrap me for the shower.

It's amazing what long, peaceful (occasionally wreaked by Ino's overly loud laughter) shower can do to help one's thoughts unravel and sort things out. I still had absolutely no idea how I was going to this vision, so Sasuke could come for a 'ceasefire' visit without getting lynched by the people who were the most offended when he went into exile from Konoha.

When I emerged from the bathroom I was dressed in what Temari had picked out for me: tight light grey denim minishorts with a black silver-studded belt, my knee-high black ninja boots, a tight purple off shoulder t-shirt with the Uchiha fan symbol embroidered tastefully on the front with silver thread. On my hands were my elbow-length fishnet fabric hobo gloves and dangling from around my neck was a tiny red and white Uchiha fan charm necklace that Sasuke had made for the both of us as a sign of our friendship. On my right wrist was Gaara's bracelet.

"Woah." was Temari's first reaction when I stepped back into my room and she stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Akima, you're a babe." gushed Ino, I flushed red – not used to being addressed thus. Beautiful plenty of times, but never a babe. Hinata smiled shyly from where she was sitting listening to my iPod.

"You look really pretty!" she complimented me. Tenten grabbed my hand and dragged me over to the dressing table and then she and Ino dived in and went to work with my hair and make-up. Sakura waded forward to help with my make up but Tenten stopped her.

"We've got this covered. Go have your shower!" Sakura gave a mock salute and grabbed her backpack, heading out of the room to shower and beautify herself. Tenten combed and tugged at my hair and then a handful of pins and hairclips later stepped back and studied my hair.

"My work is complete." I looked in the mirror and gasped.

"Wow. That's cool!" I approved.

Tenten kissed my cheek, pleased with my comment and then bounded over to see what Temari had brought to get changed into. Ino looked at me with a mischievous grin and I instantly backed off. But Ino stopped me in my tracks and expertly went to work. Her last finishing task was to smear body glitter over my collarbone and on my eyelids.

"Voila!" said Ino, in a poor attempt at French. But I loved the outcome.

"Thanks, Ino!" and gasped when I saw Sakura enter my bedroom, all dolled up.

She usually looked really tomboyish with her burgundy-red and white Chinese top, pink shirt and black bike shorts, black knee high ninja boots, pink elbow guards and black gloves. Now, well, she was wearing: a really nice hot pink tank top (with no bra I noticed), grey minishorts, her black knee length ninja boots and a hot pink hoodie, unzipped. Dangling from around her neck was the Konoha insignia and around her wrists were stretchy black wire bracelets.

"You scrub up well." I complimented. Temari won 'paper, scissors, rock' next and after showering re-emerged into my room wearing: a black and red japanese dress with a slit up her thigh, gold bangles and her normally spiky blonde hair was down and clipped back stylishly with false ruby hairclips. She wore ankle-high stiletto ninja boots.

"No comment." was Tenten's critique.

"Wow, you look great!" a typical response from Hinata. Ino looked Temari up and down and then inquired where she could get the same outfit from.

"Skikamaru's gonna eat his poor heart out!" Ino screwed up her face at the imagery.

"Ew! That's really gross, Sakura." I rolled my eyes in a very Sasuke like way.

"It's a figure of speech, Ino. It means that he'll really like what he sees." I shook my head at the outfit. It looked great on Temari, but I felt it was too old for me and I didn't feel comfortable wearing something THAT sexy, never mind that I actually had a boyfriend to show the goods off to.

Next was Hinata who like Sakura, Temari and I, emerged looking gorgeous. Hinata was wearing: a dark purple dress with a black belt around her middle, emperor line style, a pair of good black sheer gloss pantyhose and a pair of black ankle-length ninja boots with closed toes. On her head was a simple, but very stylish black hat. Dangling around her neck was a yin and yang necklace and around her wrists were stretchy black wire bracelets like Sakura's. This outfit was typical, conservative Hinata. The song changed on my iPod and Hinata instantly brightened.

"Hey! This is my favourite song!" Ino emerged from the bathroom looking kinda like a purple cheerleader, with the exception for a fishnet fabric top underneath the off shoulder purple top she was wearing, the matching fishnet fabric hobo gloves and her knee high black ninja boots. She had made no changes to her hair though. Last but not least was Tenten who emerged wearing: a very short hot pink Japanese dress that exposed a lot of leg. Tenten had an exotic flower in her hair, wore silver dangling earrings and like Temari, ankle-high black stiletto ninja boots.

"Girls, we look HOT!" decided Temari, standing in front of us with a camera and a plastic bag in her hands. I stared at them with apprehension.

"What's the camera for?" I asked. Temari clicked a picture of me before I could stop her.

"Taking pictures of us, duh!" she replied. Sakura rushed forward, dragging a startled Hinata forward.

"Cool, I'm posing with Akima and Hinata!" I was sandwiched between a beaming Sakura and a freaked out Hinata. Hinata and I looked at each other, alarmed at Sakura's actions. Temari aimed and fired, blinding poor Hinata and I.

"What's the plastic bag for, Tem?" asked Tenten, who was chuckling at the stunned expressions on Hinata and my face as we both tried to blink away the white splodges that suddenly obstructed our vision.

"Lollypops." replied Temari, opening the bag and offering it to Tenten, who picked a cherry lollypop, unwrapped it and stuck it in her mouth.

"What for?" I asked, taking a cola lollypop, unwrapping it and sucking on it absently. Sakura picked a strawberry one, Hinata: a strawberry and cream one and Ino picked a pineapple lollypop.

"Alluring tactic." said Temari, sucking on her Watermelon lollypop. I raised an eyebrow.

"I've already got a boyfriend and a mouth full of cavities. But thanks for the treat." I raised the lollypop in a 'cheers' salute and popped the lolly back into my mouth.

"It will also make you look really sexy." Temari promised me, sidling up and grinning evilly.

"That's a bonus." I added. Sakura frowned at my bedroom clock. It was 7:00pm.

"Where are the boys? They're supposed to escort us to the party." All the girls shrugged just as a knock sounded at the door.

"Speak and ye shall receive." I said, and hopped off the couch, walking over to the door.

I unbolted it and pulled it open, revealing my cute, handsome boyfriend standing there dressed from the neck down in casual civilian wear: a white linen button down shirt, tight black jeans, his ninja boots and a waist length black and orange leather jacket with the Uzumaki spiral symbol on his back. His metal forehead protector in its usual place. The expression on Naruto's face amused me greatly.

"Hey, Naruto! You look great!"

I looked around Naruto and saw the other boys looking awkward as they waved at me, then I sidestepped to the left, taking Naruto with me, and the girls and I laughed when we saw the expressions on the other boys faces when they saw their girlfriends. Sakura stood to the side and watched the commotion, with a melancholy expression on her face. If only she knew the surprise I was giving everybody tonight.

_Hmmm..._

"Uh, you look really beautiful." Naruto gulped. I sucked on the lollypop in an attempt at girlish innocence.

"Thanks. You're sweet." I looped my finger in one of Naruto's belt loops and tugged him forward. Naruto caught me before he could smack into me and I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.

"Hey Shika." I heard Temari saying to Shikamaru. Naruto and I turned our heads to see Shikamaru had flushed red and started bleeding out of his nose, slightly.

"Hey Temari, you look really sexy... uh, Akima? Do you have any tissues?"


	13. Tenten's Party

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**TENTEN'S PARTY**

Producing a box of tissues, I was bombarded by almost every boy in their attempts to get a tissue to stem the flow of blood dripping from their noses. Once all the blood had been wiped away we set off for Hinata's house, most of us chattering excitedly to our neighbours about the concept of a fun time to be had.

The sound of thudding music was heard about a street away from where we were heading. So loud that the surrounding houses were practically jumping off their foundations.

"Wow. I think my ears are bleeding." joked Kiba, stuffing his fingers in his ears and pretending to clear them, so he could hear again.  
Both Tenten and Neji glared at him.

"Very funny. My sides are splitting it's so funny." retorted Tenten.

"Kiba kinda has a point, Tenten." Tenten and turned to look at me where I was standing in between Naruto and Sakura. Naruto, naturally, had his arm wrapped around my shoulders and Sakura had linked arms with me. Both were wincing from the noise.

"Why is the music up so loud? I'm surprised nobody has complained to Lady Tsunade about the noise pollution by now." I said, backing up Kiba's comment. Tenten realised that her retort had been uncalled for and that both Kiba and I were right. She screwed up her face in determination and charged forward ahead of us.

"I'm going ahead to turn the music down. Meet you there!" and disappeared around the corner ahead of us.

We followed at a leisurely pace and when we saw the Hyuuga mansion up ahead, we saw somebody slumped against the fence looking completely bored and probably wondering why he was here in the first place.

"Hey, it's Sai!" yelled Naruto, who started waving his hand and yelling out to the boy.

Hinata looked around Naruto and saw Sai, who was dressed in a tight pair of white skinny jeans, an odd looking black shirt with one long sleeve and one short sleeve and a white sleeveless hoodie.

**_Nice fashion statement... _**I thought telepathically to Sakura who nodded and giggled.

Sai looked up at his name and saw us coming towards him. I noticed that he looked most especially at Hinata, to my delight. Hinata, however, had blushed deeply and looked like she was about to faint – and she wasn't even looking at Naruto. Disengaging my arm from Sakura, I went over to Hinata and immediately grabbed her hand and led her over to Sai.

"Sai, this is Hinata." I said, beaming from ear to ear. Sai studied Hinata for a brief moment before cracking a small smile and extending a hand for Hinata to shake.

"Hi." Hinata takes Sai's hand and found that she really didn't want to let go. She smiled shyly at him as she responded with a shaky 'Hey." I looked over at Sakura and gave her the thumbs up. Sakura squealed excitedly, and loud enough that everybody started and looked at her incredulously. When we entered the Hyuuga mansion, the first thing we saw was Tenten standing at the entrance (the music had been turned down thankfully) looking a cross between amused and revolted.

"Tenten, what's wrong?" asked Neji, then looked at why Tenten was looking like that and cringed.

"Oh. That's what's wrong." he muttered.

Gaara and Kankuro, who had arrived a few minutes before we had, were sitting on a couch side-by-side with the polite but slightly scared expressions on their faces that we later confirmed to have been caused by Hinata's overly enthusiastic mother who was fawning over the two Sand shinobi. This was presumably because both boys were handsome.

"Can I offer you another mini pizza?" gushes Mrs. Hyuuga, beaming from ear to ear with a huge plate of assorted mini pizzas, now currently shoved under the nose of the desperately uncomfortable Gaara.

"No, thank you." the Kazekage muttered politely in a strangled voice. Mrs. Hyuuga retreated swiftly and placed the mini pizzas on the table.

"Oh! It's no trouble at all. I assure you!" she said, then trotted back towards the kitchen. Everybody had to struggle to contain themselves as a mortified Hinata flushed a deeper red than she had ever gone before, even when she had been blushing in front of an oblivious Naruto.

"Mother-" muttered Hinata. Neji was still looking annoyed at his Aunt's obvious flirting – made even more gross by the fact that both Gaara and Kankuro were both twice her junior.

"How embarrassing!" he exclaims. I nearly started laughing again when Kankuro spotted us coming in and practically fell over his own feet as he grovelled at my feet, clinging to them like a child who didn't wish to be parted by his mother when she had just dropped him off at daycare.

"Oh! Thank god! She's been driving us crazy!" Gaara came over to lean against the wall adjacent from us, looking peeved at Kankuro's behaviour and at where Naruto's arm was now hanging. I awkwardly patted Kankuro's head as I looked at both Naruto and Sakura who were staring at him dubiously, and Sakura tried to stifle a giggle with her hand.

"Kankuro, get up! You're making a fool of yourself!" said Temari, disengaging herself from Shikamaru's hand and coming over to her younger brother's side and hauling him to his feet.

Unfortunately, Kankuro hadn't had time to let go of my legs as his sister yanked him to his feet, so when he came shooting up to his feet, I got swept off mine. Kankuro fumbled as he tried to maintain a proper grip on me as I screamed in surprise and protest. Next thing everyone realised was that I was seated uncomfortably in Kankuro's arms with angry glares coming from both Naruto and Gaara.

"Kankuro! Put me down!" I screamed, fearing for my safety and I clung desperately to his neck. Kankuro did so immediately and Naruto caught me on impact.

"Sorry, Akima. Temari caught me off guard." he apologised, sincerely.

"It's alright." I replied. We looked around the room and saw that the Rec Room that was mostly occupied by Hinata and Neji, when they weren't studying, training, out on assigned missions or hanging with their friends, had been heavily decorated with everything but the kitchen sink. A karaoke machine had been installed in the room much to the boys' (except Naruto's and most of the girls') horror.

"You've gotta be kidding, Tenten." I gasped and backed away quickly, before thudding into Naruto. Tenten shook her head and grabbing me by the hand led me over to the couch Gaara and Kankuro had only just vacated and pushed me down into it. I was shortly accompanied by Sakura and Naruto.

"No, I'm not kidding. This is loads of fun!" Everybody took a seat somewhere and looked at Tenten apprehensively as she took up the role of emcee.

"Okay. Our first victim is going to be Temari!" she announced and pulled Temari onto the stage, thrusting the microphone into her hands. Temari looked like a deer-in-headlights but then, as she scanned the song selections grinned when she saw her favourite song was on there.

"I'm going to be singing: **_Sexy Naughty Bitchy _**by Tata Young." she exclaimed excitedly. Kankuro and Gaara exchanged glances and rolled their eyes.

"Typical." muttered Kankuro. Temari came over and smacked him over the back of the head, causing him to see stars before his eyes.

"I heard that idiot!" she snaps and Kankuro glares at Temari as he rubs the back of his head. Temari glances at all of the girls individually then cracks a cheeky grin as a plan forms in her head.

"I need ALL the girls up here with me please!" I felt my eyes widen as I felt the couch cushion beside me bounce and then saw Sakura stampeding forward with the other four kunoichi to stand next to Temari on the stage, as all the boys folded themselves into the foetal position to avoid getting stepped on. I folded my arms across my chest and slumped back into the couch, refusing to move.

"C'mon Akima. Naruto, give her a push!" insisted Temari.

I gave Naruto a 'try it and you're dead meat' glare that matched Sasuke's so well that Naruto shuddered in horror.

"Don't do that, Akima. You look like Sasuke when you do that." he complained. When everybody started chanting: _AKIMA! AKIMA! AKIMA! _

I sighed irritatedly and moved my legs off Naruto's lap and stood up to everyone's cheers and reluctantly joined the other girls as back up for Temari's song.

When the song ended, the girls had posed together like _Charlie's Angels _and all the boys got to their feet and started loudly wolf-whistling and cheering as the girls hopped down from the stage and went back to their seats.

Except for Temari, however, who made a beeline for Shikamaru and plowed him down where he was sitting and started kissing him until they were both breathless and he had gone red all the way up to his hairline. Tenten looked at them in mortification, while Gaara snarled and started cracking his knuckles, before he looked up and me and saw the stern expression on my face. He calmed down, but ended up glaring resentfully at Shikamaru for the rest of the night.

"Oookay! That was inappropriate!" said Ino, fixing up her fringe that had gone funny during her dancing on stage with Temari and the rest of us. Naruto had to restrain me in a bear hug to keep me from reaching over and bopping her over the head as Sakura pointedly reminded her of something.

"Like you wouldn't do the same thing with Kiba?" she asked, gesturing to her boyfriend, whom she was sitting casually on his lap.  
Ino snapped shut her compact and looked at Kiba who smiled slightly at her and looked slightly worried as Ino suddenly smirked and snuggled into him.

"Alright! Yeah, I would!" she admitted, kissing Kiba's cheek tenderly. Tenten went onto the next 'unlucky' person.

"Sakura! It's your turn sweetie!" and passed it to a surprised Sakura who stepped up to the plate and smiled shyly at everyone.

"Uh? This song is dedicated to a special someone of mine..." she admitted, blushing a bit.

"Yeah. I think I know who." spat Ino, sarcastically. Sakura flipped Ino off just as her song started playing.

During the song, she encouraged the others who knew the lyrics to Pink's song to think back to when Sasuke was actually still here and the way he used to act around all of us.

And for the second time again, that same memory of the last time Sasuke was ever in Konoha before his big battle against Naruto at the waterfalls, popped into my head. I felt silent tears trickling down my face as Sakura started weeping while she was singing, traveling down her own private memory lane... When Sakura finished her song, she could practically hear the cogs clicking away in her friends' heads, except for obvious reasons, Naruto and I. Sasuke's voice suddenly popped into my head and I gave a start that I tried to pass off as a bout of hiccups.

_**What's going on?** _

I growled back at him.

_**Shit, Sasuke! You scared the crap out of me!** _

Then I calmed down because Sasuke was exactly the person I wanted to talk to at that moment.

**_ We're doing Karaoke. It's Sakura's turn and you won't believe what she just sang... _**

**_ I can't be bothered guessing. And I'm pretty sure I know who she'd be singing about._**

I sighed in resignation. Of course, Sasuke wouldn't be curious about who Sakura would be singing about. Particularly if that person happened to have broken her heart and sent Naruto on a lifelong mission to bring back that person. Not to mention, that person has secret conversations with his cousin every now and then.

**_And you would've guessed correctly. But the song she sang to you is actually full of a lot of sorrow, longing and regret..._**

Sasuke was silent for a moment, registering exactly what I had just said to him. It was clear that he was curious about the song Sakura had just sung that represented her feelings for him that had been accumulated over the last two years.

**_Really? What's the song called?_**

I could seriously picture him frowning thoughtfully in my head.

**_'Who Knew?' by Pink. You know it?_**

_** . . . Yeah. I know it. Wow, didn't realise that she felt that way.** _

I chuckled to myself.

**_That song is pretty much what all three of us have been secretly thinking for the past two years, Sasuke..._**

It was so silent in my head that I could hear crickets chirping.

**_And I'm pretty sure that whatever Sakura's feeling from singing that song, that you feel the same way. You can't deny this..._**

Sasuke laughed bitterly at my assumption. Regardless or not if that fact happened to be true or not.

**_I could deny this, but it's obvious you'd see right through me. Or you would have seen some possible 'future' between Sakura and I to provide as evidence..._**

I scoffed.

**_I'm not that psychic. I can't ask for things like that. It's just not possible._**

Sasuke chuckled again. But then stopped briefly.

**_What's_ wrong?**

Sasuke snarled under his breath in annoyance.

**_Oh great! Kabuto's spying on me again. I've gotta go, Akima. See ya tonight._**

**_ See you._**

I was imagining Sasuke providing pain for Kabuto that I admit, would've been exceptionally fun to watch, as I watched Tenten get up from where she was perched next to Neji and took the microphone from Sakura who had just finished singing an encore that had been demanded of her from the audience, during my conversation with Sasuke. Sakura was beaming from ear to ear and had a healthy rosy glow in her cheeks.

"Alright! Next victim. I think it should be a boy this time." she smiled deviously at all the boys who immediately slouched down as far as they could go to avoid Tenten picking them. Naruto wasn't fast enough as he ducked but pulled me with him, so I giggled in surprise when he tried to hide behind me.

"Naruto! C'mon up!" Naruto groaned and straightened up.

I sat up too and grinned at him, thinking that this would be the ultimate revenge for me by making him go up and sing, when he and the others made me get up and dance when it was Temari's turn. But unknown to me, my beaming grin was an inspiration to him

(_Of course it would be. I'm even annoying myself at how predictable we are...) _

and he picked me up so he could get off the couch and placed me back down again, turned and headed towards Tenten, taking the mike from her.

"Alright then!" Naruto exclaimed. "This is for all couples out there!" My beaming smile turned into a pained expression.

_Oh no! What are you up to, Naruto?_

Naruto started singing the western ballad: _**'Making Memories of Us'**_by Keith Urban to his completely surprised audience who half expected him to start singing a song that was more suited towards his own personality. But they had obviously forgotten that he had just started out a relationship with me and all of them smiled and shook their heads as Naruto started to sing.

It wasn't until Naruto finished that song that I realised the extent of how my actions affected him the day we first became friends in that wood near Sasuke's house. It was clear that the moment I pronounced him 'a friend' that he and I were going to be inseparable, someway. Somehow.

I realised how much he truly loved me by the way he kept his eyes on me the entire song. He had said that this song was meant for all couples out there but I knew that it was just so obviously meant to be a song between him and I. It was the second time I had ever been told by another boy that wasn't my cousin, that he wanted to be mine.

Well, I have a song to sing back to him as well. But I'm going to be singing it in a slightly different way.

I watched Naruto hand back the microphone to an impressed Tenten who was looking at both Naruto and I with approval. Even Gaara, surprisingly, agreed with the song and didn't have an ugly scowl on his face like when Naruto and I first came in and Gaara saw Naruto's arm around my shoulders. I moved over slightly on the couch and Naruto sat down and I leant against my boyfriend's shoulder and felt him hug me around the waist and pressed me tightly to him.

"That was a great song choice, Naruto." I said, looking up at him.

Naruto didn't respond. He just smiled and laid his cheek on my head as he watched Tenten pick her next victim...


	14. Once More, With Feeling!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING!  
**

"Kiba! It's your turn!" shouted Tenten. Kiba got to his feet and made his way over to the stage, as his back was tapped and slapped for luck by his friends on his way through.

"Awesome!" Kiba skimmed through the song choices on the karaoke machine and selected _**'Drops of Jupiter' **_by Train. He slammed his finger on the button and waited for the first few chords to belt their way through to the surface as Kiba posed patiently in front of his audience. Ino stared up at him from directly in front of him with bright sparkling eyes. I looked at Sakura and we both resisted the urge to violently vomit.

_Typical adoring fan pose! Activate! _I thought sardonically.

_Thank god I don't to that to Naruto..._

There were cheers and whoops from everybody, the loudest cheers from Ino who looked like she was about to wet herself she was so estastic, the moment Kiba finished his song.

"Woah! Settle down, Ino!" shouted Temari, from where she was sitting on Shikamaru's lap.

"Yeah. It's kinda embarrassing." added Kiba, who stepped off the 'stage' and handed back the mike to Tenten who took it and bounded onto the stage in one fell swoop.

"Well, at least I showed my boyfriend some appreciation for his performance. Unlike some people." Ino said, snobbishly.

Everybody knew who the comment was directed towards and each and every person turned and looked at me apprehensively as the room suddenly went icy cold. By now, everybody knew that I was related to a notorious 'missing nin' that they all knew had a bad temper and from what Naruto, Sakura and I had told them, a particularly sadistic way of punishing people.

I'm not a sadistic person.

But Ino needed to be taught not to fuck with certain, powerful people who had the power to inflict pain on others with a simple narrowing of the eyes. Kiba took Ino's hand and walked back to the chair he had been seated in and pulled Ino onto his lap where upon he was immediately smothered in kisses. Tenten and everyone else (except Kiba who was busy) stared at Ino with the look of the condemned as Ino suddenly jumped like she had been shot.

"OW! That hurt!" she yelled. Gaara spoke up then, grinning from ear to ear as Ino was receiving her just desserts.

"You've brought that on yourself, Ino. You offended someone who has the power to inflict pain on others by a simple look." Ino looked around for the person (me) to attack back, but was distracted by Tenten who handed her the microphone, telling her it was her turn.

"Finally! Prepare to be wowed, people!" said Ino and posed with her hand on her hip as she chose her song: _**'You Know I'm No Good'** _by Amy Winehouse and waited for it to begin.

By the time Ino had finished her song, everyone was looking at her strangely, because we all believed that she was going to pick some lovey-dovey song that would totally gross us out about Kiba. So we were seriously wondering why she had chosen that particular song.

"What's with the song, Ino? Are you the cheating type?" asked Kankuro, confused. His comment earned him a sharp look from Kiba who had bared his teeth at Kankuro and actually looked like a wolf for a split second.

"No! That song wasn't directed towards my sweetie!" replied Ino, snappishly. She then winked at Kiba and waved flirtatiously at him before continuing.

"That song was directed towards my last boyfriend. He was way too possessive." She shuddered openly, tossing her long, blonde ponytail over her shoulder and shoved the microphone to Tenten, who glared resentfully at Ino as she sat down and started devouring Kiba's face again.

"Good to know. Who's next?" Tenten asked, wasting no time and not particularly wanting to dwell on Ino's complicated love life that usually consisted her unrequited love for Sasuke – and battling for that love with her then (and still now) rival, Sakura (who has Sasuke's heart, even though he REFUSES to admit it). Tenten then looked at her boyfriend who was staring disapprovingly at Sai who was having a quiet conversation with Hinata who was mildly interested in what he had to say.

"Neji! It's your turn, babe!" Tenten called. Neji looked up and nodded and approached his girlfriend to take the microphone from her hand.

Then it was Tenten's turn. And throughout the song, her eyes never left Neji's. The intense glances made everybody feel awkward but when the realised all the attention they were getting they immediately stopped giving each other soppy glances. But I was happy for them because they were complete opposites, and opposites sometimes do attract. The moment the song finished, we all got a better understanding of how much Tenten truly loved Neji.

There were cheers and appreciative clapping, and even an affectionate kiss shared between Tenten and Neji before it was time for Shikamaru's song. Everybody groaned because Shikamaru was notorious for being the most laziest ninja in the village, and almost matched Sasuke and I in intelligence. So we naturally assumed that the song he was likely pick was going to be boring and or complicated to work out. So naturally, we were surprised when Shikamaru chose this: _**'Check Yes, Juliet'**_ by We the Kings.

"Wow! Great song choice, Shikamaru!" I said, giving him the thumbs up. Shikamaru smiled his typical bored smile and returned the gesture.

"Thanks, Akima!" then once again disappeared into Temari's arms. What happened next shocked every body, especially Hinata, whom the song was directed towards.

"Uh? Can I go next?" asked Sai, who stood up and smiled genuinely at Hinata, nothing fake about it, and came over to a speechless Tenten who simply released the microphone and stepped down from the stage and went to park herself on Neji's lap.

"I'd just like to dedicate this song to a new friend of mine. I think she's charming and very sweet. And she has a beautiful soul that I'd like to protect if I can." Sai turns and looks down the list of songs for him to choose and stabs one of the buttons with his index finger. The guitar chords were plucked as everybody cheered enthusiastically, when Jesse McCartney started singing the introduction to his song: _**"Beautiful** **Soul."**_

Hinata was surprised, but happy that Sai liked her more than she originally realised. While her friends were singing songs, Sai struck up a conversation with her to get to know her a little better. Sai had asked her questions such as how long her family had lived in Konoha, what her signature ninja move was, her favourite things and things that she didn't like, and her friends. Hinata answered all of them as best as she could without giving away too much information, as she still didn't know him very well.

When she had finished, Hinata told me later that she repeated his questions back to her and when he got to her question about his friends, Sai had mentioned Naruto, Sakura and me (which was a surprise considering we practically gave him the flick the moment he started creeping me out and when he almost betrayed us back when we thought he was going to assassinate Sasuke).

He also told Hinata his story about his 'brother' and their bond. I had smiled at this and told Hinata that Naruto, Sakura and I knew about that story too, and that if Sai had chose to tell her that story, it meant that he trusted her and liked her enough to reveal something that personal to her, knowing that she'd understand him a little better. Hinata smiled brightly at this and beamed at Sai who smiled back but looked very confused.

"Hinata? It's your turn now!" said Tenten and pulled a very shy Hinata to the stage and passed her the microphone.

"I think this song will be good for you to sing." I said and came up to the stage and pressed a button with my index finger. When the first few bars of the song: _**"Butterfly"**_by DDR started playing Hinata smiled at me.

"How did you know that I liked this song too?" I smiled and pointed towards my head.

"Psychic. It's a pain in the ass, but what can you do?" I replied. Hinata grinned at me and we watched as Hinata started dancing along to the song and pulled me up to dance next to her and sing back up.

Everybody was dancing and singing along with Hinata as she sang her song to us. Albeit, she was singing somewhat timidly at first, but when she realised that we were showing her our support by singing along with her and encouraging her to _'sing out, Louise!'_ , her confidence grew bit by bit. Sakura and I helped her out by getting up and dancing with her, trying to make her awkward experience a little more fun and less scary.

"That was excellent, Hinata! Great song!" complimented Temari, coming over to Hinata and engulfing her in a bear hug that pulled Hinata off her feet completely.

"Thanks, everyone." replied Hinata, smiling shyly and sits down next to Sai, wrapping her hair around her ear. Gaara stood up and came over to Tenten and stuck out his hand for the microphone.

"I'd like my turn, please." he said, gruffly. Tenten raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sure, Gaara. But I didn't think you were a karaoke type." she passed the mike to him and stepped down from the stage just as Gaara responded to her observation.

"Well, it's kinda a song I'd like to sing to somebody in particular. A kind of best wishes song." He turned to the karaoke machine and stabbed a button and then turned back to his audience, resting his eyes on me, unblinkingly. Naruto noticed this and tensed up, feeling uncomfortable. I noticed this and face palmed myself, despairing.

_Great, Gaara! Just what we need. A fist fight to break out between you and Naruto! He already feels threatened by you because of our past relationship as it is..._

"Akima? Could you sing with me, please?" asked Gaara, a small smile on his face. Naruto's eyes widened at the same time as me as I got up from where I was sitting and came over to Gaara.

_Or I could be mistaken... _

Gaara smiled slightly at me as he handed the second microphone to me. I leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Depends on the song..." I replied and when Gaara whispered his song choice which was _**'****Somebody That I Used to Know' **_by Gotye, I realised why he had chosen the song and nodded. The song started playing.

_"__Now and then I think of when we were together."_ sang Gaara with the sweetest voice I had ever heard. I instantly remembered our relationship like it was a movie replaying in my head.

_"Like when you said 'you felt so happy you could die.'" _  
Exaggeration, but I was happier when I was around him, after Sasuke split.

_"Told myself that you were right for me. But felt so lonely in your company." _I felt as though the floor had disappeared from beneath my feet and got that sinking feeling.

_"But that was love and it's an ache I still remember." _ Gaara smiled at me and gently stroked my face with the back of his hand. Everyone looked at Gaara and then at Naruto.

"What's going on? I thought Naruto was going out with Akima?" said Ino, frowning at me - thinking I was cheating on Naruto.

The song forced me to remember the unfortunate reason why Gaara chose this particular song. It was because I had confessed that I loved Naruto more than him, and it explained why he was civil but still very resentful of an uncomfortable, guilty Naruto. I sighed unhappily and looked away from Gaara.

As he started singing the second verse:

_"You could be addicted to a certain kind of sadness." _  
Preaching to the choir, dude.

_"Like resignation to the end, always the end." _

Gaara started to pace the stage as he sang the next few lines of the song.

_"So when we found that we could not make sense. Well, you said that we would still be friends. But I'll admit that I was glad it was over."_

Hearing Gaara singing that line was like feeling him stick a knife into my heart and twisting. But then the pleasant smile on Gaara's face that was directed towards me, suddenly turned into a hurt sneer that took me aback as he sang the chorus:

_"But you didn't have to cut me off! Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing. And I don't even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough!"  
_  
I started feeling like I was being backed into the corner. I looked up at Gaara with mortification._  
_

_"No, you didn't have to stoop so low! Have your friends collect your records and then change your number!"  
_

Sakura looked at me with widened eyes are she remembered me telling her about ending my relationship with Gaara.

_"I guess that I don't need that though."  
_

I was horrified by the angry tears that suddenly blossomed in Gaara's eyes.

_"Now you're just somebody that I used to know!"_

I looked at the accusing eyes that I could suddenly feel burning into me. Except for Naruto's. He was looking disapprovingly at Gaara who was making me feel like crap.

_"Now you're just somebody that I used to know."_

I burned with anger.

_"Now you're just somebody that I used to know."_

My turn.

Alright then, if Gaara's gonna play hard ball. Then I'm game! Bring it on, because I hadn't forgotten all the times I've witnessed him being a jackass before we got together – starting with the way he was acting when he was battling Sasuke for the chunnin examinations – and even after we had gotten together. Sometimes our relationship wasn't shit hot and I wonder if he actually considered this. I turned and glared stonily at Gaara, who was smirking at me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Naruto frowning, disturbed.

_"Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over. Part of me believing it was always something that I'd done."  
_

Yes, I'm a bitch. So is everybody else Gaara!

_"Well, I don't wanna live that way. Reading in to every word you say. You said that you could let it go..." _Obviously not.

_"And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know!"_

And then it became a showdown._  
_

_"But you didn't have to cut me off! Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing. And I don't even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough! __No, you didn't have to stoop so low! Have your friends collect your records and then change your number! __I guess that I don't need that though. __Now you're just somebody that I used to know!"_

I shook my head, feeling upset. Gaara finished the last few verses of the song, tears streaming down his face. _  
_

When the song was over, basically everybody felt extremely awkward. Which was typical, considering it was Gaara who caused this to happen. But the song had also made me realise how much of a bitch I was to lead Gaara on like I did. So I did the only nice thing I knew I could do. I walked over to Gaara and pulled him into a hug, where upon I could feel his tears dropping onto my neck.

"I'm sorry, Gaara. I really am like Sasuke at times." I whispered so only he could hear.

Naruto came up on stage and placed a concerned hand on his friend's shoulder. Gaara looked up at Naruto in surprise.

"Hey man. Are you okay?" asked Naruto, kindly. Gaara dropped the microphone into my hand and grabbed Naruto by his shirt and pulled him close enough for only him and I to hear.

"You better treat her right, Naruto. Or you and I will have a problem." Gaara threatened and released Naruto's shirt as he stormed from the room with a worried Temari close behind.

I came over to see if Naruto was okay. Naruto wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me off the stage, staring at where Gaara had stormed off and had an alarmed expression on his face.

"You don't have to tell me twice, Gaara." Naruto muttered as Kankuro stepped up on stage and chose a song to lighten the now tense mood.

"Gaara will be back in a moment, guys. He's just a little moody at the moment." explained Kankuro.  
A low growl was heard from the other room.

"Okay, back to the fun! Here's my song!" continued Kankuro and stabbed a button on the karaoke machine. Everybody politely applauded Kankuro's song, then stared expectantly at me and waited to see what song I was going to sing. I gulped loudly and stood up taking the microphone from Kankuro, who patted my shoulder in what I supposed was a comforting gesture. I suddenly got an idea.

"For my song. I'm gonna require all couples to get up and start dancing to this."

Everybody except Naruto and Sakura exhaled and followed my instructions.

"But, how are we going to dance? You're gonna be singing." asked Naruto as Sakura's smile suddenly dropped because she had nobody to dance with.

"I can multitask, Naruto. Just don't spin me around too much." I replied. But then I looked over at Sakura's forelorn expression and looked back at Naruto.

"Just dance with Sakura for the first verse. She doesn't have a honey to dance with." Naruto turned and extended a hand towards Sakura who shook her head and backed away from Naruto.

"It's fine, Akima. Don't worry about me."

But Sakura really didn't look fine. To everyone's surprise however, Gaara suddenly reappeared in the room and approached Sakura with his hand outstretched. It was clear he had heard everything I had just said.

"Would you like to dance with me, Sakura?" Gaara asked, pleasantly. Sakura blinked at him in astonishment.

"Gaara, that's really sweet. But you don't have to dance with me just because I don't have a boyfriend to dance with." Sakura tried to say but Gaara shook his head and looked over at where Kankuro was sitting, watching the commotion.

"I would be sitting with my brother and I really don't want to. If it makes you feel better, you can pretend I'm Sasuke. I don't really care." replied Gaara, getting a bit more insistent with his hand. Sakura smiled, charmed by the young Kazekage's gallantry and accepted his hand. Gaara led Sakura out to an open space in the middle of the Rec Room and wrapped his arms around Sakura's waist.

I smiled at this and then got one more idea. Slyly, I cast a simple but effective jutsu on an unsuspecting Gaara to give Sakura the illusion that he was in fact dancing with Sasuke, not Gaara. I hoped that for the duration of the song, she would notice this and relax into the slow dance. I turned and stabbed a button on the machine and then returned to Naruto's arms as the flute started playing a familiar melody. I laid my head on Naruto's shoulder as I started to sing: _**"It is you (I have loved)"**_by Dana Glover.

_"There is something that I see, in the way you look at me. There's a smile, there's a truth in your eyes." _

One by one, I saw each couple start swaying on the spot. But I focused most especially on Sakura and her reaction to the jutsu.

_"But an unexpected way, on this unexpected day. Could it be this is where I belonged?" _

_"It is you I have loved all along."  
_

Suddenly, Sakura gasped and looked directly into a confused Gaara's eyes and saw Sasuke, like I expected her to and wrapped her arms around Gaara's neck and pressed her ear against his chest, listening to Gaara's rapidly beating heartbeat.


	15. Sasuke's Feelings

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

Please enjoy my chapter :)

* * *

**SASUKE'S FEELINGS**

The moment I had finished singing my song, Naruto took my hand and led me out towards the corridor. Sakura, sensing that Naruto was seeking a private moment with me, distracted everybody else with a game of:

"Twister, anyone?" Sakura grabbed the game and disappeared deeper into the room, trying to avoid the mad stampede of eager gamers trampling her as they went past. Confused, I followed Naruto where he led me and he leaned me up against the wall. He smiled tenderly at me and gently kissed me. I responded tentatively and wrapped both arms around his neck, pressing him closer.

"Didn't know you like ballads, Naruto." I whispered, coming up for air and resting my forehead against his. Naruto chuckled and wrapped me up into a hug.

"I don't. But I heard that song once at the Ramen shop when I was coming down to visit you at the hospital and it got stuck in my head." I felt my face fall in disappointment.

"Oh."

"But I realised that it kinda reminded me of you and all the shit that happened to you over your life. And I realised how much I wanted to be the person who would be there for you." I perked up instantly.

"That's so sweet." I replied, cupping his cheek. "I'm really glad we're going out." I added.

Naruto looked embarrassed before replying.

"Yeah, me too. Although, I don't really want Sasuke to kill me for dating you." He added, frowning at the possibility. I chuckled and took his hand, leading him back out to the Rec Room and sat back down on the couch, watching everyone else trying to tie themselves into pretzels on a dotted rubber mat. It seemed Sakura was winning the game.

"If he was going to kill you he would have tried to do so when he slugged you in the face back in the memory." I reminded him.

Naruto was also watching the game. He chuckled softly.

"Yeah. I guess." He agreed and laughed when Kiba made the wrong move and caused everybody except Sakura to collapse on top of each other.

"Wanna play twister?" Naruto asked with a challenge in his husky voice. I smirked at him.

"Only if you don't mind being beaten by a girl." I teased. Naruto frowned at the possibility.

"Who says you're gonna win?" I turned my head and looked him straight in his defiant blue eyes.

"Me!" I declared and pecked him affectionately on the end of his nose. Hopping up, I strode determinedly towards the game, but stopped when Sasuke's face suddenly appeared in my head.

_Oh right! I need to let Sakura in on my other plan..._

I searched the room for Sakura who had temporarily disappeared and finally saw her emerging from the kitchen drinking from a plastic cup.

"Hold on a second, Naruto! I need to talk to Sakura for a second." Naruto focused on Sakura for a second as the girl in question heard her name get called out and who called it. She strode over to us with a huge smile on her face.

"Okay!" Naruto pecks my cheek and then rushes over to the others who had started gathering contenders and got this really ambitious grin on his face.

"Hey Guys! Move over, it's my turn!" He rushed past Sakura at top speed and practically dove into the crowd.

"HEY!"

"Naruto!"

"Get off me! You moron!" came the annoyed outbursts of our friends as Sakura and I looked at Naruto in astonishment.

"Uh? Anyway..." I started, taking Sakura's hand and leading her back to the couch as we watched Naruto grinning with embarrassment at his annoyed friends.

"I have something to tell you in confidence." I explained to a bubbly looking Sakura.

"Of course, you can tell me anything. You're one of my best friends." Sakura was so happy. My jutsu really must have cheered her up. I could only imagine what her reaction was going to be when she learns what I have to tell her next. I grimaced uncomfortably at her as I responded.

"Okay. I've been talking to Sasuke in the chatroom." Sakura's eyes widen from shock.

"You what! When?" she cried.

"On and off ever since we came back from our mission. He wanted to talk with me privately. And he's told me some interesting things."

Tenten puts on a song that I recognised as _**'Last Friday Night (TGIF)' **_ . But Sakura and I barely notice as Sakura is focused entirely on what I had to tell her about Sasuke.

"Like what exactly?"

I narrowed my eyes sternly at Sakura before I answered her question.

"Now this is where you have to swear to me you'll tell NO ONE. Not even Naruto. You promise?" I asked. Sakura nodded. "I swear. What is it?"

"I asked Sasuke whether or not he missed any of his old friends in the past two years he's been in exile from Konoha." Sakura's face twisted in hope.

"What did he say?"

"Not a lot. Just said that 'there are a few of my old friends I do miss'. But he didn't actually say who. The stubborn idiot." Sakura's face dropped with disappointment.

"Oh." I placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder, impatiently.

"I'm not finished yet. I then asked him if he missed you, despite how much you really annoyed him." Sakura looked at me fiercely when I said this.

"Hey! I haven't done anything annoying to him." she protested. I looked at her incredulously. I repeated her words from the past.

"_"Oh, Sasuke! I swear you're so smart!", "Yeah! You're totally right!" _" Sakura looked confused.

"What's wrong with that?" she asked.

"To quote Naruto: 'What's right with that?'" I responded. I sighed as Sakura suddenly got her stubborn face on.

"And what did he answer to your question?" Sakura asked, pouting. I smiled, knowing that she was definitely going to like my answer.

"He said he has missed you. But he doesn't want to have a relationship with you, because he doesn't want to put you in harm's way. He truly likes you, but only when you're not fawning over him. Then he doesn't want anything to do with you."

Sakura's face lit up like a candle.

"He, he really does like me?" I nodded.

"YES!" Sakura cheered.

"Which brings me to my second confession..." I added. Sakura stopped cheering and looked at me with worry on her face.

"What is it?"

"I have a surprise for everybody tonight, back at my house."

Sakura instantly got excited.

"Really? What is it?" I sighed.

"Here's the thing. I'm gonna tell you, because I need somebody I can trust who knows what's going on, but it's not going to be much of a surprise for you when it actually occurs." I promised her. But Sakura waved away my concerns.

"You can count on me. What's the surprise?"

"I'm gonna do something similar to what we did back in Orochimaru's lair. But this time, it's going to appear like we never left my bedroom... and Sasuke's coming via this deep sleep vision. The vision we went on back at Orochimaru's lair is known as the Sharingan Vision." Sakura frowned thoughtfully.

"Is that what we did?" I nodded.

"I'd like your help in making sure people don't attack Sasuke when we all go under and he suddenly appears. Please?" Sakura paused for a moment, looking unsure about if she should or not. Her feelings for Sasuke were clearly still very strong, because during the slow dance she clung to Gaara so tightly, it looked like she was cutting off his circulation.

Finally, Sakura nodded.

"Alright then. It'd be a great opportunity to see Sasuke again without him trying to kill us." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks. But don't let Sasuke know that I've told you." Sakura traced a cross over her heart with a sincere smile on her face.

"Cross my heart." I hugged my best girlfriend tightly.

"He's your date for tonight. Just don't make it obvious, and sit with him, me and Naruto. You cool with that?" Sakura nodded enthusiastically. The both of us got up and headed over to the Twister game, where Naruto and the rest were tied up in pretzels again and Naruto had also been caught in a headlock by Kiba and was getting the noogie of his life.

"Ow! Hey! Oh, c'mon, man! Let go!" complained Naruto, as Kiba dug his knuckles into Naruto's scalp. I went on to beat them at several games.

When it was time to knock off for the night, nobody was ready to head home for bed. Which was lucky because it was the best opportunity to announce my idea.

"The party isn't over yet. It's continuing back at my place. I've got a surprise for you all..."


	16. The Sharingan Vision

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters.

* * *

**'THE SHARINGAN VISION'**

_**Okay Sakura! Time to see Sasuke again! **_I said telepathically to Sakura, whose face brightened considerably.

_**Great! I can't wait! **_She replied, and as usual – loudly.

_**Would you please encourage everyone to hug me or something so I can get their chakras?**_

Sakura grins at me and takes my hand in hers.

_**Will do! **_

"Welcome guys and gals!" I called out brightly as I unlocked my front door and stepped back to let everyone through. I received a barrage of hugs or fist bumps as each of my very confused and very curious friends went through the door.

Do you remember back to the mission where I explained to Sakura that for the Sharingan Vision to work, I needed her to touch my hand with her ungloved hand to get some of her chakra?

Well, once again I required the same chakra, and Naruto had again unknowingly given me some of his shortly after a cold wind blew, which caused me to shiver, and I had cursed myself for not doing the smart thing and bringing along a coat. Naruto had seen this and had stopped me by touching my hand, (thus transferring his chakra to me), which stopped me in my tracks and he took off his black and orange leather jacket and draped it around my shoulders. I was remembering this just as Sakura, who was the last to come into my Apartment closed the door and went over to park herself next to Naruto on the couch.

_Thank You, Sakura! _

I thought appreciatively and peeled off Naruto's jacket, draping it on the arm of the couch as I went past saying:

"Okay, guys! I'll be right back. Bathroom's that way, boys." I indicated to a nearby door with my thumb that everybody eyed immediately as I darted into my room and closed the door. I heard the mad scurry of feet thudding past rushing for the bathroom.

"Ooof!" grunted Kankuro, sounding like somebody had just elbowed him in the ribs.

"Hey! Watch it!" exclaimed Shikamaru, whose voice was the loudest as I finally heard the bathroom door close. There were frustrated groans, all of them male. Then:

"Dibs!" came Naruto, who sounded desperate.

"Shot gun!" yelled Kiba at the same time as Naruto. I stuck my head outside my bedroom door to see both boys glaring at each other with a weird electrical aura hovering around them.

"Sakura? Come in here, please! I need some help." I asked, trying to restrain the giggles threatening to burst from my lips. Sakura nodded and hopped off from her perch, staring distastefully at the group of fighting boys. Closing the door behind her, she looked at me for direction and I waved her over to a bunch of colourful throw pillows.

"You excited?" I asked casually, as I picked up one and hurled it into a random place in the room.

"Absolutely! Where do you want these pillows?" asked Sakura, holding up a bright pink one in her hands.

"Anywhere. They're just there so we can lie on them without being uncomfortable during the Vision." Sakura nodded in understanding, wincing as she remembered how uncomfortable she felt when she had woken up both IN the vision and when she woke up FROM the vision.

"Are you sure you're up to it, Akima?" Sakura asked, indicating my health – considering I had just come from the Hospital only hours before. I nodded, waving my hand dismissively.

"Of course. The only reason why I was so weak the last time was because Orochimaru triggered his stupid curse mark." I replied indicating with my finger the deforming black tattoo-like seal on my neck. Sakura frowned at the seal and came closer.

"Can I look at that?" she asked. I nodded and swept back my hair from my neck and angled it so she could see it better. Sakura instantly paled when she saw it and I felt her fingers gently touching the seal, fearing it would hurt me.

"Does it hurt?" she asked in a whisper, feeling her clammy fingers shaking from revulsion.

"No. Not right now." I replied, pleasantly. "But then again, every person who was unlucky to receive Orochimaru's curse marks experienced it, differently." Sakura moved to look me in the eyes, not understanding. I pointed to my seal again.

"Both Sasuke and Anko-sensai have the exact same one. Did you know that?" I asked her, frowning slightly. Sakura's eyes widened.

"I knew that Anko-sensai had it, but I had no idea Sasuke did." I nodded and continued placing pillows all around the room as I continued with my explanation to Sakura who was looking interested but also grim at the same time.

"The seal that Sasuke, Anko and I have is called the 'Cursed Seal of Heaven'. Anko explained to me when she realised that I had it too, that when she was one of Orochimaru's apprentices, he experimented with this curse mark on her and nine others." Sakura gasped.

"Anko was the only one who survived the process, which indicated that should you be bitten by Orochimaru and had received the 'Cursed Seal of Heaven', you would have a 1 in 10 chance of surviving it. And even then, you will have wished you really had died." Sakura shuddered.

"Oh My God. Sasuke." she whimpered. I placed my hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Do you remember during the Chunin exam in the Forest of Death when Orochimaru bit Sasuke?" Sakura nodded.

"It was horrible. Naruto was unconscious and Sasuke looked exactly like you did back in that vision." She answered, shaking. "He looked like he was so much pain."

"It is excruciating." I agreed. "But as I said, the aftermath is different for all people."

Sakura frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that when you've seen Sasuke absently rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, it's because the curse mark has flared up and is irritating him. Anko does the same thing."

"What do you do when it's irritating you?"

I got to my feet and stretched, heading for the door.

"Wash my neck with cold water. It soothes the burning pain." Sakura's face reacted in realisation.

"So that's why you did that? We thought you were just dehydrated from feeling sweaty." I chuckled. Then opened the door to reveal Naruto, with his fist in mid-air. He had been just about to knock.

"Uh? Have you finished doing what you've been doing in here? We're getting bored." He indicated all our friends who were either lounging about or yawning. I nodded.

"Yeah. C'mon in!" Everyone got to their feet and filed in. Naruto and Sakura immediately went and sat down on my bed, while everyone else made themselves comfortable on the pillows that were scattered about the room. Nearly all the boys except for Naruto and Gaara had never been in my room before so they were extremely curious.

"Woah. You weren't kidding about Sasuke being your cousin." said Kiba, who had picked up a nearby photo frame and was peering down at it. Ino was looking over his shoulder and was frowning at the picture. "I've never seen Sasuke smile so happily before." Sakura came over and looked at the photo too. It was the same photo I kept with me at all times. The one with my parents, my aunt and uncle and both Itachi and Sasuke.

"That's the 'before' Sasuke." I replied, knowing what photo they were looking at. Kiba and Ino looked at me curiously.

"What do you mean 'before' Sasuke?" asked Ino, walking away from Kiba, who had put down the photo frame and followed Ino to a nearby pillow and sat down side by side next to the pillow.

"That Sasuke in the photo was what his personality had been originally had been before Itachi killed his parents. You all only got to see the 'after' Sasuke. The cold, withdrawn, cruel Sasuke." Tenten was chuckling at a different photograph that she and Neji had picked up.

"Nice expression, Naruto." she giggled. Naruto sat up from his slouch on my bed.

"What? What are you looking at?"

Tenten turned the frame around and revealed a picture of 13 year old Naruto, Sakura and I grinning up from the photo, where we were lying side by side in a grassy meadow we all recognised from one of the Training grounds outside of the village. Naruto was covered in scratches and bruises and his head was still wrapped in bandages, and he looked like he was being crushed by Sakura and I.

"Oh! That day!" Naruto brightened and looked at me, grinning from ear to ear.

"You kept that photo?" I nodded, remembering that day well. It was before the three of us went our separate ways to train privately for two years. Naruto had just been released from Hospital, and Sakura and I decided to celebrate with him and mourn the loss of our team mate.

"Man, that was fun!" agreed Sakura, who bounded over to me and squeezed my shoulders. Ino fidgeted impatiently with Kiba's fingers and bounced on the spot.

"What's your surprise, Akima? We're dying to know." she gushed. Gaara shifted his position on the floor next to my bed, irritatedly.

"Maybe 'dying' is exaggerating a bit." Shikamaru stretched his limbs as he allowed Temari to lean against him.

"I agree."

Gaara glowered at Shikamaru.

"Stop trying to get on my good side." He threatened, fixing Shikamaru with a death stare. Temari immediately sat up and glared at her younger brother, gesturing furiously at him with threats of dismemberment.

"Quit fighting with my boyfriend, Gaara!"

My eyes instantly flashed and everybody went into a calm state. Shaking their heads they all looked at each other in amazement.

"Woah! What was that?" gasped Kiba, trying to sit up, but failing miserably.

"A calming jutsu. My Aunt used to use it all the time on Sasuke, Itachi and I." Tenten and Neji both sat up together and leaned on each other for support.

"Don't worry, it'll wear off in a minute." I assured them.

Tenten looked up at me. "That was kinda intense."

"Yeah. I do feel kinda calm." added Hinata, who was lying her head on my guest table and breathing slowly. I smiled triumphantly.

"I'm glad you like it." Then I cracked a sly, sneaky grin on my face. "Wanna see some more?"

Everyone nodded. I wrapped both my arms around Naruto and Sakura's shoulders as I started my explanation.

"I used this particular jutsu on our retrieval mission for Sasuke. Sakura and Naruto already know about it."

Everybody murmured in wonder.

"That's so cool! What was it like, Sakura?" said Ino. Sakura wrinkled her forehead when she remembered the experience.

"Really weird! And I felt kinda weak for about 5 minutes afterwards."

"Yeah, I got that too!" Naruto agreed, scratching his head.

I smiled at them both.

"That's normal. Sasuke and I were weak for a couple of hours when we first learned it."

"What's this technique called?" asked Neji.

"It's called 'The Sharingan Vision'. It takes your essence to a specific place of interest. You cannot be killed or seriously injured in it." I saw smiles blossom everywhere.

"And you cannot leave the area under any circumstances." I added.

Naruto frowned at this.

"But we left the village loads of times, Akima." He pointed out. I shook my head firmly.

"We only moved where our memories took us, Naruto. Plus we weren't physically there, we were really unconscious on the corridor floor and our 'essences' were doing the walking around." I explained, patiently.

"Are we going to try it?" Gaara asked, not looking me in the face.

"That was the plan. But there is a catch." I warned. Everybody looked at me suspiciously.

"What's the catch?" asked Kankuro. I sighed before answering, knowing that everybody was going to agree excitedly, but were definitely not going to be happy to see my cousin enter my apartment and walk through my bedroom door.

"When we go under, we will be visited by someone. But you may not like that person." Like I expected I was greeted with enthusiasm.

"I'm game! Let's go!" shouted Kiba. Temari punched the air and grinned at me.

"Yeah, sounds like fun!"

I nodded.

"Okay. Now the pillows that you're either sitting on or beside, are for you to lie on." I explained the significance of the pillows that had been scattered all around the room. Everybody immediately pulled a pillow out from under them or from beside them.

"Why?" asked Hinata, timidly.

"Because part of the vision is to go into a deep sleep-like trance, even though when it actually happens it feels like we're being pulled towards something."

"Quit stalling her, guys! Let's go, Akima!" shouts Temari, from where she sitting with Shikamaru by her side. Everybody takes their pillows and lies down on them in pairs. Except for Hinata – Sai had bailed early because he had to do something early in the morning so she took her pillow and sat with Gaara and Kankuro. I sat down on my bed between Naruto, who was leaning against the headboard and Sakura, who decided to lie on my chest.

"Everybody join hands with each other." I requested. One by one, everyone took hands so that we all made a large human chain. It would've been awkward if somebody off the street happened to walk in unannounced and saw us like this.

"Everyone ready?" I asked.

"YES!" the entire room shouts. My eyes flashed again and then one by one, we fell into a 'deep sleep' trance.

* * *

The sounds of someone's snoring woke me up and I opened my eyes to a really funny scene. All around the room, couples sprawled out in random places.

"Is everyone okay?" I groaned, sitting up from where Naruto had me cradled in his arms. Naruto stirred and yawned loudly, disturbing Sakura who frowned in her sleep.

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura mumbled and shifted herself to a comfortably position on my chest.

"Ow!" I winced. Sakura looked up at my pained expression. "Oh. Sorry, Akima!" she said.

Temari moaned and sat up rubbing her eyes as Shikamaru also sat up but looked around and yawned loudly, showing everybody his tonsils.

"That was not fun." Temari looked around the room like her boyfriend and frowned, thinking this was all a hoax.

"Hey, we haven't moved!" she exclaimed. I gently nudged Sakura off my chest, sat up, swinging my legs off the bed and stood up, stretching.

"Yeah, we have. Try to leave the Apartment." I instructed, smirking a bit.

Temari immediately got to her feet and strode determinedly towards the bedroom door, wrenched it open and headed for the front door and got it opened, but found that she couldn't step through the threshold and into the village, as cool night air blew straight in. Frowning, Temari closed the door and returned to my bedroom.

"Okay. I'm convinced." Temari closed the bedroom door and returned to Shikamaru's side and slumped down onto his shoulder, not quite over the fatigue. Gaara sat up unsteadily and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Remind me never to do this again." he complained. Hinata sat up onto her knees and paled instantly.

"I don't feel so good." she announced. Gaara immediately scooted away from Hinata.

"If you're going to hurl, don't aim this way." he urged, wrinkling his nose. Tenten rested her back against my wardrobe door.

"Woah. Head rush!" she said, grinning excitedly. Neji nodded dejectedly. "Me too."

Kiba stared at the door, rubbing away the fabric pattern on his cheek.

"Glad that I left Akamaru at home. Poor mutt wouldn't have coped." He realised. Ino snuggled up to him.

"At least you still have me." she reminded Kiba. He smiled at her. "Yeah, I know."

"Feels like the worst hangover in the world." complained Kankuro, fighting to keep his eyes open. Shikamaru was shaking his head disapprovingly at everybody and had sprung to his feet easily like he had springs for feet, as though he had just woken up from a refreshing nap.

"I don't feel any different." Kiba rolled his eyes at Shikamaru's comment.

"That's because you're naturally lazy."

Naruto yawned and saw that Sakura struggling worse than the last time they had gone under the vision.

"Are you okay, Sakura?" he asked, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. Sakura nodded weakly.

"I will be in a minute." Sakura assured him. Hinata got up and perched on the bed beside Sakura and grinned from ear to ear.

"I can't believe Sai missed out on this! Once you get over the drowsiness, this is actually kinda cool!"

There is quiet mumbling as people try to regain their bearings when there is an unexpected (to some) knock at the bedroom door. Everybody looks up at the door and then looks at me. I looked up from my iPod player and smiled knowing who it is and look over at Sakura and winked, which causes her to blush with nervousness.

"Come in!" I call out, causing everyone (except for Sakura) to stare at me like I was nuts. Ino got to her feet and rushed over to me, grabbing my wrist in a frantic grip that made me wince.

"But you don't know who that is! It could be some weirdo who broke into your Apartment!" she shrieked into my ear. I broke the hold on my wrist and circled it to regain circulation.

"Relax. And take a chill pill." Ino scowled at my suggestion. I ignored the look.

"It's our mystery guest." I grinned, excitedly.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah? But who is this 'mystery guest'?" he asked, sternly. His question was answered when the doorknob turned and the door opened slightly as a hand with black painted fingernails snaked around the door. I practically heard everybody breathe in at the same time as the door swung open completely, revealing:

"Hey guys! Missed me?" drawled Sasuke, who stood in the doorway, dressed head to toe in civilian street wear: a pair of tight blue grey skinny jeans with a black belt, loose fitting T-shirt - half tucked in in the front, a white hoodie – over which was a short black denim jacket with two Uchiha fan symbols on the top of both sleeves.

"Sasuke!" I yelled, happy to see him again.


	17. Damned If I Do, Damned If I Don't

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the 'Naruto' or 'Naruto: Shippuden' series or characters!

* * *

**'DAMNED IF I DO YA! (DAMNED IF I DON'T)'**

Sasuke smiled fondly at me as I ran across the room in two strides, and threw myself directly into his arms, wrapping him up in a rib-crushing hug. Naruto and Sakura were both staring at Sasuke, each with different expressions on their faces. Naruto had a suspicious, and distainful expression on his face, while Sakura had a hopeful and eager forgiveness in her eyes. Everybody else were highly surprised to see Sasuke of all people standing in the doorway, forgetting all at once that we weren't in the real world. It was Kiba who spoke out first with angry accusations.

"What's that traitor doing here?" Kiba snarled, baring his teeth and wrapping a protective hand round my wrist.

I turned around and shielded Sasuke with my body as I stared at Kiba with mortification, while Sasuke glared resentfully at him. I felt Sasuke's hand taking mine, trying to calm me down. But before Sasuke or I could talk, voices started raising and angry threats flew across the room at us.

Getting fed up with the constant hostility surrounding me 24/7, I had no choice but to put the calming jutsu on everybody once more. My eyes flashed again, this time more insistently and everybody slumped into states of complete tranquillity, although the looks of hostility and determination to snuff out Sasuke's existence was still plain on nearly everyone's face.

"Everybody calm the fuck down!" I ordered angrily, scowling at my friends who were all trying to sit up after being hit with the whammy.

"We are in ceasefire mode, okay? Sasuke's visit is a once off trip!" I hissed, firmly, my teeth bared and probably looking less than attractive than I had been previously dubbed. I felt my fists clenching and my whole body was shaking.

"You fucking tricked us, Akima!" accused Ino, standing up and pointing furiously at me and Sasuke. I seethed with hatred as I fixed Ino with a homicidal glare as I rose to my full height and prepared to storm over and beat the living crap outta Ino. But to my shock as well as Ino's, Sasuke grabbed my shoulders and locked his arms in an iron grip making it virtually impossible for me to go and tear Ino limb from limb.

"Why don't you shut up for once?" I whispered in a dangerously low voice. Ino instantly looked afraid of me. Good. So did everybody else, especially Sasuke who knew me the best. Let them be afraid of me. I'm not 'little miss push over' anymore. Sasuke and I wanted to break free from his overbearing father, and we've both managed to do this - albeit in two totally different ways.

"I did not trick anybody! I told everyone that there was going to be a 'mystery guest'. But what pisses me off the most is that if Sasuke hadn't walked in and somebody else had, you would treat them differently." Everyone looked at Sasuke, guiltily.

"I can't see why you can't just give him a chance." I whispered, resigned and sighed hugging myself and looking anywhere but at my friends, who seemed touched by what I had just said. Sasuke's hand decended on my shoulder and he started rubbing it soothingly. Naruto stood up from my bed and came over to where I was still standing and shielding Sasuke from any potential angry blows from my hostile mob of friends.

Naruto was stony faced and glaring at Sasuke coldly for several seconds, which was making me feel extremely anxious. I searched Sasuke's eyes and face, and was surprised when I realised that my handsome, blue-black haired cousin was relaxed and had no form of hostility at all. The one thing that hadn't changed was that Sasuke was smirking at my boyfriend maliciously – but he was true to my words and was strictly here for a 'ceasefire' reunion with his former team mates. Eventually, Naruto smiled at Sasuke and put out his hand towards Sasuke, inviting him to take it and shake it. Sasuke looked down at Naruto's hand, suspecting a trick and took it somewhat reluctantly, shaking it and looking up at Naruto's face questioningly.

"I'm game! What about you, Sasuke?" Sasuke's confused expression smoothed into a playful smirk when he realised that Naruto was for once using his brains and trying to be mature and play nice. He shook hands vigorously with Naruto, sealing the truce.

"For tonight. But then things return to normal the moment this vision ends. I haven't changed my plans. And I'm NEVER returning to Konoha."

Naruto and Sasuke stopped shaking hands and then immediately started squeezing their hands so tightly I winced, even if they refused to. _Typical bloody males..._

"Fair enough." replies Naruto, finally releasing his hand and leading me away from Sasuke as everybody cautiously got to their feet and advanced on Sasuke.

It seemed that Naruto's act of civility had inspired everybody that Sasuke was going to be true to his word. Considering that Naruto had not been slaughtered by Sasuke, point blank. Naruto and I sat down next to each other on my bed and snuggled into each other as we watched Sasuke catch up with his former friends who were treating him with kit gloves and standing at a distance away from him. Sasuke appeared not to mind this at all.

Sakura, who was staring at Sasuke nervously, was sitting ramrod straight on my doona and trying not to be obvious when observing Sasuke. However, she was taken aback when Sasuke caught her eye and gave her a small smile that made Sakura blush bright pink and grin back shyly.

"What did I tell ya?" I teased and grabbed Sakura's hand excitedly.

The second half of the party took off and pretty soon it was as though we had travelled back in time to two years ago and everybody was laughing and sharing jokes and stories like before. Except everybody was still suspicious of Sasuke, despite what I said, and were wary when asking him questions and allowing him to join in their conversations.

Music blared from my iPod which everybody danced and sang along to, and even some of the boys started doing 'air guitars' and similar movements to the embarrassment of their girlfriends and most of the others. Occasionally, couples went in and out of the bedroom to have some moments alone in private bliss – Naruto and I among them. But every time I did this, I always felt frustrated that Sasuke and Sakura remained stubborn about their obvious attraction towards each other.

I mean, poor Sakura was actually too nervous to say anything to Sasuke, for fear of being rejected like so many times before. Even when both of them had plenty of times to be alone together and actually have a conversation or even flirt together. I decided to do something about this. After a few hours of party time, Sasuke broke away from the large circle of boys who had gradually reverted back to their loud, boisterous selves and who had eagerly accepted Sasuke back into their little loop.

I saw my chance.

"Hey, I'll be right back." I promised Naruto and Sakura whom I had been laughing and talking with and kissed Naruto on the cheek as I hopped up from the couch and bounded over to where Sasuke was perched on my couch with his usual bored expression on his face. According to Sakura, who told me later on, Naruto was very reluctant to do this because of what had happened before between Sasuke and I, but Sakura had firmly stopped him saying:

"Let her go, Naruto!" Naruto frowned at Sakura.

"I'm still unsure about Sasuke, Sakura." I heard Sakura sigh before answering with a clipped voice.

"Akima trusts him, Naruto. Besides if you're worried that he's going to hurt her again, remember that Akima told us that Sasuke's attack on her was just a ruse to put Orochimaru off the scent." I looked over at them and saw Naruto roll his eyes and shaking his head resignedly.

"You're always determined to see the good things about Sasuke aren't you?" He said, flinching as he fully expected Sakura to hit him like she always did when he insulted or annoyed her. But she didn't, which surprised Naruto until she saw the sorrowful expression on Sakura's face.

"It hurts too much not to, Naruto." Sakura replied, quietly. I smiled slightly and sat down next to Sasuke on the couch. Sasuke was leaning his forehead on his clenched fists and was brooding about something. As I sat down he stiffened up.

"Ino, if that's you. You've got 30 seconds to get lost." he warned through clenched teeth.

I giggled, feeling Naruto's protective gaze burning into my back. I looked over briefly at him and saw to my amusement that Sakura had given up on trying to distract Naruto and she had been pulled into a conversation by Temari, Tenten and Hinata – whom I noticed, was still staring longingly at Naruto, who was oblivious as usual. I winked at Naruto who smiled back. I turned back to Sasuke who cracked his knuckles when he realised I hadn't moved away from him.

"Does Orochimaru know you're here?" I asked Sasuke, poking him in the shoulder.

Sasuke looked up at the sound of my voice and looked into my face, smiling and looking slightly annoyed. Obviously, he was relieved it wasn't Ino with her usual fawning gaze and constantly trying to rub herself up against him. Sasuke shuddered at the memories. Privately, I wondered if he would have the same reaction if it had've been Sakura instead of me asking him this question. He placed his hand on my arm and squeezed reassuringly.

"He doesn't own me, Akima. As far as he and that freak Kabuto know, I'm sleeping off the training session he and I had just had before going under this vision."

I nodded, understanding.

"Fair enough. How's it goin'?" I asked, pulling my knees underneath my chin and resting it on them.

"I've been to training sessions with Orochimaru more exciting than this." Sasuke drawled in a bored voice and slouched back on the cushions. Ino, when Kiba wasn't looking winked flirtatiously at Sasuke which he pulled a face at and scowled looking away.

"For a guy whose supposed to be intelligent, you're acting really stupid at the moment." I replied disapprovingly. Sasuke snorted in amusement and looked at me incredulously.

"Oh? And how am I being stupid?" he inquired, smirk in place. I gestured all around at our friends with my hand as I replied.

"You're expecting that everybody here won't be pissed off at you for ditching us and Konoha." Sasuke sighed frustratedly as he flung an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.

"Akima. You're forgetting that I don't care what people think." he reminded me.

_How could I not forget? _I thought. Then I felt another pair of eyes burning into me. I looked over to where the burning feeling was coming from and grinned in amusement.

"Not even Sakura?" I said sneakily, raising an eyebrow at him. Sasuke looked at my scheming expression and frowned suspiciously. He then looked over at Sakura and I followed the gaze and laughed when Sakura immediately pretended that she hadn't been looking over at us. But the blood flooding her cheeks gave her away instantaneously. Sasuke almost smiled but sighed in irritation and shook his head.

"What about Sakura?" He asked, using a 'not-again' tone. I wrapped my arms around his left arm and moved closer to his ear as I replied excitedly.

"Do you know what Sakura thinks of you?" Sasuke closed his eyes exasperatedly.

"What does she think of me?" He droned, then looked at me with a 'get on with it' expression. I pouted at his expression and he grinned cheekily.

"Thought you didn't care what people thought of you." I teased, trying to get him to lighten up. Sasuke rolled his eyes and snarled through his teeth.

"Akima. I love you, but don't make me hurt you... again." he reminded me, by subtly but gently poking me in my wounded stomach with his index finger. I winced slightly and hit his arm in retaliation. A shadow descended on the both of us.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke and I looked up into Naruto's face and Sasuke nearly burst out laughing at the expression we both saw on there. It was clear that Naruto was getting jealous at the attention Sasuke was receiving from me. I smiled amusedly and shook my head as I patted the cushion seat beside me. Naruto sank down beside us and took my hand possessively in his, causing Sasuke to raise his eyebrow at the obviousness of the movement.

"We're just talking about Sakura." I replied to Naruto and then indicated this fact by pointedly looking over at her. Naruto nodded and then looked back at Sasuke, waiting for him to start speaking again.

"As for you, Sasuke, don't ask me stupid questions. If you still don't know how Sakura feels about you, I'll explain it to you." I promised. Sasuke groaned in irritation.

"Although, it's so bloody obvious." Sasuke huffed in annoyance.

"You're such a pain in the ass!" I smiled sarcastically.

"Thank You." I drawled, smirking. "That's one of the reasons why you love me, Sasuke." I affectionately punched Sasuke's shoulder and he retaliates by trapping me in a gentle headlock.

"I give! I give!" I begged, laughing as Naruto stiffened beside me. I sat up pulling my fringe out of my eyes and kissed Sasuke's cheek, both of us remembering the many times he used to put me in a headlock to get his own way when we were children. Sasuke smiled slightly, but then sighed sadly and looked away from me, studying Sakura.

"Look Akima. The only thing I can remember about Sakura was that she used to be really annoying, very clingy and ALWAYS agreed with everything I said..." I looked at Naruto who smirked as he remembered.

"So did Ino. Remember that?" I reminded him. Sasuke frowned at Ino who was now making out heartily with Kiba and was oblivious to the attention she was receiving from Naruto, Sasuke and I.

"Yeah. Don't remind me..." Sasuke muttered, pulling a repulsed look due to the slurping sounds coming from the affectionate couple in front of us. I pulled Sasuke's face back to mine, he pulled free frowning at me.

"Plus, Sakura was only thirteen at the time." Sasuke looked at Sakura as I continued talking about her to him.

"A lot has changed in two years, Sasuke. Sakura's more mature, wiser and less wimpy than she used to be, and she's not so clingy any more. And as Naruto and I found out the hard way when Kakashi made us do that bell test again to test our new abilities (_Sasuke pulled a smart aleck, unsympathetic face when I mentioned this_), she can crack the Earth's surface with her fists."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow when he learned how strong Sakura had become in two years: "Impressive."

"But Sasuke, despite your absence in our lives for the past two years, Sakura still maintained that 50 foot sign with flashing light bulbs projecting how deeply she feels about you that EVERYBODY, except for some reason, you, can see from a mile away." I explained, patiently. Naruto scoffed and nodded in agreement.

"You're telling me..." He muttered and jumped when Gaara, Kankuro, Neji and Shikamaru suddenly laughed really loudly in our ears. Gaara noticed him and came over with this huge grin on his face. Whatever they were talking about must have been really funny.

"Naruto, you've gotta hear this. C'mon!" He drags a confused Naruto off the couch and incorporates him in their group as Kankuro retells his story to a confused Naruto. Sasuke then looks over at Sakura, who is laughing and joking around with Temari, Tenten and Hinata, and took in what I had just said. A thought suddenly occurs to him.

_About bloody time._

"Sakura loves me unconditionally even for my faults, and despite the fact that I drop kicked Naruto back at the waterfall, and ditched you and her?" I smiled triumphantly.

"Correct. Sakura adores you. She will always adore you..." I paused, causing Sasuke to look over at me in surprise.

"Even if you kill her someday." I whispered, looking away from him. Sasuke stared at the floor and was forced to take in everything I had just told him. He swallowed uncomfortably.

"Thanks Akima. You've given me a lot to think about." Sasuke looked up at Sakura and flinched when he found himself looking directly into her piercing green eyes that told him that everything I had just told him was 100% true. Satisfied by the expression on Sasuke's face, I got to my feet and moved towards Temari, Tenten, Hinata and Sakura to join their conversation but felt Sasuke instantly grab my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. Looking back, I was greeted by a stern, but incredibly stubborn expression on his cold, bored handsome face.

"Love or not. It doesn't change anything." I groaned in frustration and scowled at him.

"No shit. It never really occurred to me." I said, dryily.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Wow. Attitude much?" He drawled. I shrugged. "Only around you." I replied, poking my tongue at him and screaming out in surprise when I was tackled by Sasuke who laughed and wrapped me up into his arms. My outburst caused heads to snap towards us, concerned. But when they realised Sasuke was just mucking around they went back to what they were doing. Naruto and Sakura however were staring sternly at Sasuke and watching him very carefully.

"Akima! C'mon, we're playing Truth or Dare!" announced Tenten, waving me over. I got to my feet drunkenly.

"Coming!" I replied, pulling Sasuke to his feet. Both of us winced when a stinging pain flared up from our curse marks. Something was pissing off Orochimaru back in reality. I seriously hoped we weren't going to be having a repeat performance of what occurred back at his lair. Sasuke started rubbing his neck in irriation and I looked questioningly at him, since he knew more about Orochimaru than I did.

"What's Orochimaru pissed off about now?" I asked, under my breath. Sasuke shrugged, not giving a crap about his Master's temper tantrums.

"What's he not pissed off about?" he retorted and strode off towards Naruto and the other boys still absently rubbing away the pain from his neck.

"Play nice with Naruto and the other guys." I called out, teasingly. Sasuke looked over his shoulder at me and gave me a sarcastic look.

"Oh, joy!" he drawled. I scowled at him.

"Stop being rude, Sasuke!" Sasuke shrugged at me, rolling his eyes and sauntered over to the group of laughing teenage boys. I strode over to where the girls were sitting in a circle and sat down among the group of giggle girls who were shooting me surreptitious glances.


End file.
